Our empirical metrics of accounting quality reflect die effects attributable to the financial reporting system as well as those unattributable to the financial reporting system, including the economic environment and incentives for firms to adopt IAS. Following prior research, we use two approaches to mitigate these effects. First, when comparing metrics for firms apply¬ing IAS, IAS firms, and firms applying non-U.S. domestic standards, NIAS firms, we use a matching procedure to select our sample of NIAS firms. In particular, we match on country as a control for country-level differences in economic activity and size as a control for size related differences, such as the information environment. Second, when constructing our accounting quality metrics relating to earnings management and timely loss recognition, we include controls for factors that prior research identifies as associated with firms’ voluntary accounting decisions and controls for the economic environment.