2. Methodology
Stage one uses a qualitative approach to answer key questions about the socio-economic
impacts of the convergence of local standards with IFRS. The methodology of survey, using
the method of a series of one-to-one interviews is used to gather the primary data; the
interview protocol for Stage one is attached as Appendix A. Both perspectives of institutional
theory and stakeholder theory are utilised in the analysis. A summary of the interviews
conducted in each country is provided in Table 1. It shows that twenty individual interviews
were conducted in two countries (9 in Singapore and 11 in Malaysia) with academics,
accounting professionals and accounting bodies. In a qualitative study a small sample is
acceptable as any generalisations are limited to the data collected.