Phan, Mascitelli & Barut
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6. Summary and Conclusions
The study reveals the perceptions of Vietnamese accountants regarding the advantages
and disadvantages of IFRS adoption, the potential costs and challenges of IFRS
implementation in Vietnam. The respondents perceived that IFRS adoption would
increase the comparability as well as the transparency for companies across countries.
This would provide opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to gain access to
international capital markets and to improve their reputation at both national and
organisational levels. However, not every Vietnamese business is perceived to gain
benefits from IFRS adoption. Some disadvantages of IFRS were explored, including
over-complexity and irrelevance, not to mention the lack of IFRS expertise. The cost
aspect of the adoption was perceived as significant in both timing and monetary terms.
The respondents viewed re-training the financial staff from the rule-based approach
under Vietnamese accounting standards to the principles-based approach under IFRS
as one of the greatest challenges. Although IFRS reporting was viewed as being costly,
time-consuming and challenging, surprisingly, the respondents were optimistic on the
long-term benefits. Avoiding the cost of dual reporting was perceived as the greatest
cost saving advantages. Despite several concerns of significant challenges resulting
from IFRS implementation, the majority of the respondents showed their willingness to
adopt IFRS to gain positive effects from IFRS reporting. Notably, the comparison across
three accountant groups found that the perception of IFRS matters was significantly
different between the practitioners and the academics. The findings support the results
in Pandaram (2002) and contradict the results in Rezaee et al. (2010).
The paper adds to the existing literature in several ways. Firstly, this study is one of a
few, if not the first, comprehensive study to examine the perception of Vietnamese
accountants on the advantages, disadvantages, costs and challenges of IFRS adoption
in Vietnam. Recent trends in international accounting research seem to indicate that
researchers focus on effects of IFRS adoption within the key economies such as
members of the European Union, Australia, Canada, the United States and China.
There are fewer studies about emerging economies and developing countries than in
developed ones. Vietnam missed out or received very limited scholarly coverage in
studies on South-east Asian regions in particular or on Asia in general.
From a global perspective, the findings of this study may add to the debate of why
developing countries should adopt IFRS. The study findings imply that IFRS benefits to
developing countries are different to the benefits enjoyed by the developed countries.
Moreover, the findings of this research regarding the complexity of the standards as
most disadvantages of IFRS also highlight the high priority for the IASB to resolve their
efforts in making IFRS globally accepted. The IASB are certainly aware that the
objective “a single global high quality set of financial reporting standards” cannot be
achievable if developing countries like Vietnam do not fully adopt IFRS. The challenges
facing Vietnam in coping with IFRS conversion and transition issues are compounded
by the pace and degree of revising and issuing new standards initiated by the IASB. It is
equally important for the IASB to be aware that a balance between the need for
improving IFRS from the comments of well-established economies and the practical
difficulties faced by less developed economies like Vietnam in implementing IFRS is
essential. The case of Vietnam, as a representative of developing countries, may be
useful for the IASB in the process of improving global convergence of national
accounting standards and IFRS. Perhaps the IASB should also place a strong focus on
Phan, Mascitelli & Barut1486. Summary and ConclusionsThe study reveals the perceptions of Vietnamese accountants regarding the advantagesand disadvantages of IFRS adoption, the potential costs and challenges of IFRSimplementation in Vietnam. The respondents perceived that IFRS adoption wouldincrease the comparability as well as the transparency for companies across countries.This would provide opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to gain access tointernational capital markets and to improve their reputation at both national andorganisational levels. However, not every Vietnamese business is perceived to gainbenefits from IFRS adoption. Some disadvantages of IFRS were explored, includingover-complexity and irrelevance, not to mention the lack of IFRS expertise. The costaspect of the adoption was perceived as significant in both timing and monetary terms.The respondents viewed re-training the financial staff from the rule-based approachunder Vietnamese accounting standards to the principles-based approach under IFRSas one of the greatest challenges. Although IFRS reporting was viewed as being costly,time-consuming and challenging, surprisingly, the respondents were optimistic on thelong-term benefits. Avoiding the cost of dual reporting was perceived as the greatestcost saving advantages. Despite several concerns of significant challenges resultingfrom IFRS implementation, the majority of the respondents showed their willingness toadopt IFRS to gain positive effects from IFRS reporting. Notably, the comparison acrossthree accountant groups found that the perception of IFRS matters was significantlydifferent between the practitioners and the academics. The findings support the resultsin Pandaram (2002) and contradict the results in Rezaee et al. (2010).The paper adds to the existing literature in several ways. Firstly, this study is one of afew, if not the first, comprehensive study to examine the perception of Vietnameseaccountants on the advantages, disadvantages, costs and challenges of IFRS adoptionin Vietnam. Recent trends in international accounting research seem to indicate thatresearchers focus on effects of IFRS adoption within the key economies such asmembers of the European Union, Australia, Canada, the United States and China.There are fewer studies about emerging economies and developing countries than indeveloped ones. Vietnam missed out or received very limited scholarly coverage instudies on South-east Asian regions in particular or on Asia in general.From a global perspective, the findings of this study may add to the debate of whydeveloping countries should adopt IFRS. The study findings imply that IFRS benefits todeveloping countries are different to the benefits enjoyed by the developed countries.Moreover, the findings of this research regarding the complexity of the standards asmost disadvantages of IFRS also highlight the high priority for the IASB to resolve theirefforts in making IFRS globally accepted. The IASB are certainly aware that the
objective “a single global high quality set of financial reporting standards” cannot be
achievable if developing countries like Vietnam do not fully adopt IFRS. The challenges
facing Vietnam in coping with IFRS conversion and transition issues are compounded
by the pace and degree of revising and issuing new standards initiated by the IASB. It is
equally important for the IASB to be aware that a balance between the need for
improving IFRS from the comments of well-established economies and the practical
difficulties faced by less developed economies like Vietnam in implementing IFRS is
essential. The case of Vietnam, as a representative of developing countries, may be
useful for the IASB in the process of improving global convergence of national
accounting standards and IFRS. Perhaps the IASB should also place a strong focus on
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