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International Accounting Standards and Accounting Quality

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  • Barth, Mary E.

    (Stanford U)

  • Landsman, Wayne

    (U of North Carolina)

  • Lang, Mark

Abstract

We examine whether application of International Accounting Standards is associated with higher accounting quality. The application of IAS reflects the combined effects of features of the financial reporting system, including standards, their interpretation, enforcement, and litigation. We find that firms applying IAS from 21 countries generally evidence less earnings management, more timely loss recognition, and more value relevance of accounting amounts than do a matched sample of firms applying non-US domestic standards. Differences in accounting quality between the two groups of firms in the period before the IAS firms adopt IAS do not account for the post-adoption differences. We also find that firms applying IAS generally evidence an improvement in accounting quality between the pre- and post-adoption periods. Although we cannot be sure that our findings are attributable to the change in the financial reporting system rather than to changes in firms' incentives and the economic environment, we include research design features to mitigate the effects of both.

Suggested Citation

  • Barth, Mary E. & Landsman, Wayne & Lang, Mark, 2007. "International Accounting Standards and Accounting Quality," Research Papers 1976, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecl:stabus:1976
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    File URL: http://gsbapps.stanford.edu/researchpapers/library/RP1976.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Uchenna R. Efobi & Matthias Nnadi, 2015. "How Does Foreign Aid Affect the Relationship between IFRS Adoption and Foreign Direct Investment?," Research Africa Network Working Papers 15/014, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    2. Wan Razazila Wan Abdullah & Enny Nurdin Sutan Maruhun & Masetah Ahmad Tarmizi & Liyana Ab. Rahman, 2018. "Mitigating Earnings Management: Adoption of IFRS and Corporate Governance Practices in Malaysia," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 8(2), pages 760-772, February.
    3. Jeno BEKE, 2010. "The Practical Experience of Adapting to the International Accounting Standards," REVISTA DE MANAGEMENT COMPARAT INTERNATIONAL/REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE MANAGEMENT, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 11(1), pages 110-123, March.
    4. Federica Doni & Silvia Rossetti & Roberto Verona, 2017. "Performance Reporting Choices after the Adoption of IAS 1 Revised: Comparative Evidence from Europe and the USA," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 7(4), pages 558-574.
    5. Ioannis Tsalavoutas & Paul André & Lisa Evans, 2009. "Transition to IFRS and value relevance in a small but developed market: A look at Greek evidence," Post-Print halshs-00460532, HAL.
    6. Schleicher, Thomas & Tahoun, Ahmed & Walker, Martin, 2010. "IFRS adoption in Europe and investment-cash flow sensitivity: Outsider versus insider economies," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 143-168, June.
    7. Mohamed Elbannan, 2011. "Accounting and stock market effects of international accounting standards adoption in an emerging economy," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 36(2), pages 207-245, February.
    8. Ernstberger, Jürgen & Vogler, Oliver, 2008. "Analyzing the German accounting triad -- "Accounting Premium" for IAS/IFRS and U.S. GAAP vis-à-vis German GAAP?," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 339-386, December.
    9. Chiu, Tzu-Ting & Lee, Yen-Jung, 2013. "Foreign Private Issuers' Application of IFRS Around the Elimination of the 20-F Reconciliation Requirement," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 54-83.
    10. Efobi, Uchenna & Nnadi, Matthias, 2015. "Foreign Aid, IFRS Adoption and Foreign Direct Investment," EconStor Preprints 114568, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    11. Małgorzata Dobrowolska & Mariola Paruzel-Czachura & Marta Stasiła-Sieradzka, 2018. "Perception of Limitations by Individuals Threatened with Social Exclusion upon Entering Employment: Report on a Study of Individuals with Chronic Mental Illnesses," European Journal of Economics and Business Studies Articles, Revistia Research and Publishing, vol. 4, May - Aug.
    12. Kousenidis, Dimitrios V. & Ladas, Anestis C. & Negakis, Christos I., 2013. "The effects of the European debt crisis on earnings quality," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 351-362.
    13. Giuseppe Sannino & Gianluca Ginesti & Carlo Drago, 2014. "Impairment estimates for available-for-sale equity instruments under IFRS: evidence from italian Banks," FINANCIAL REPORTING, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2014(2-3-4), pages 115-140.
    14. Karampinis N. & Hevas D., 2009. "The Effect of the Mandatory Application of IFRS on the Value Relevance of Accounting Data: Some Evidence from Greece," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 73-100.
    15. Chen, Charles J.P. & Ding, Yuan & Xu, Bin, 2014. "Convergence of accounting standards and foreign direct investment," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 53-86.

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