Phan, Mascitelli & Barut
136
they reduce the alternative accounting methods, leading to lower earnings
management (Jeanjean & Stolowy 2008),
they require higher quality measurement and recognition rules (De Franco,
Kothari & Verdi 2010) that better reflect a firm’s underlying economic position,
hence, more transparent than local GAAP (Ding et al. 2007),
they require higher disclosure levels, thereby mitigating information asymmetries
between firms and their shareholders (Healy & Palepu 2001).
Besides the higher financial reporting quality argument, advocates of IFRS also claim
that IFRS reporting increases the comparability of firms across markets and countries
(DeFond et al. 2010), thus, facilitating cross-border investment (Lee & Fargher 2010)
and integration of capital markets (Saudagaran 2008). In light of the IFRS effects on the
capital market, the promoters of IFRS often argue that companies could access the
international capital market more easily (Christensen, Hail & Leuz 2011), especially the
ones with high levels of internationalization such as trading or raising funds in overseas
markets (Daske et al. 2009).
In addition, there are also the intangible advantages that adopting firms might be able to
benefit from when they implement additional disclosure policy under IFRS (Florou &
Pope 2012). For example, the firm may more easily access capital markets (Soderstrom
& Sun 2007), charge a higher price for products (Ray 2010), and attract more
experienced staff (Naoum, Sykianakis & Tzovas 2011) thanks to the reputation of more
transparency than their competitors (Fox et al. 2013).
In the same line of argument, previous researchers reported that “serious” IFRS
adopters experienced significant declines in their cost of capital and substantial
improvements in their market liquidity compared to ”label” adopters (Daske et al. 2009).
Accordingly, it is predicted that the IFRS related effects for first-time adopters are likely
to be greater in countries with higher quality institutions and countries with levels of
higher divergence between domestic GAAP and IFRS (Ding et al. 2007).
3.2 Disadvantages and Costs of IFRS
There are several reasons why the expected benefits of IFRS may not be achieved.
Reducing accounting alternatives may result in a less true and faithful
representation of the firms’ underlying economics (Barth, Landsman & Lang
2008).
As a result of the principle-based nature of IFRS (Hong 2008), professional
judgment may create the opportunities for earnings management (Jeanjean &
Stolowy 2008).
Weak enforcement mechanisms of adopting nations can reduce financial
reporting quality, even when high quality accounting standards are implemented
(Brown & Tarca 2007).
Furthermore, capital market effects of IFRS are more pronounced in countries with
stricter enforcement regimes and, therefore, better IFRS implementation (Hail & Leuz
2006). Wang & Yu (2009) and Leuz (2006) showed that capital market effects were also
apparent when stronger reporting incentives and, thus, higher quality financial reporting
were evident. A higher divergence between IFRS and local GAAP, and therefore, larger
Phan, Mascitelli & Barut136 they reduce the alternative accounting methods, leading to lower earningsmanagement (Jeanjean & Stolowy 2008), they require higher quality measurement and recognition rules (De Franco,Kothari & Verdi 2010) that better reflect a firm’s underlying economic position,hence, more transparent than local GAAP (Ding et al. 2007), they require higher disclosure levels, thereby mitigating information asymmetriesbetween firms and their shareholders (Healy & Palepu 2001).Besides the higher financial reporting quality argument, advocates of IFRS also claimthat IFRS reporting increases the comparability of firms across markets and countries(DeFond et al. 2010), thus, facilitating cross-border investment (Lee & Fargher 2010)and integration of capital markets (Saudagaran 2008). In light of the IFRS effects on thecapital market, the promoters of IFRS often argue that companies could access theinternational capital market more easily (Christensen, Hail & Leuz 2011), especially theones with high levels of internationalization such as trading or raising funds in overseasmarkets (Daske et al. 2009).In addition, there are also the intangible advantages that adopting firms might be able tobenefit from when they implement additional disclosure policy under IFRS (Florou &Pope 2012). For example, the firm may more easily access capital markets (Soderstrom& Sun 2007), charge a higher price for products (Ray 2010), and attract moreexperienced staff (Naoum, Sykianakis & Tzovas 2011) thanks to the reputation of moretransparency than their competitors (Fox et al. 2013).In the same line of argument, previous researchers reported that “serious” IFRSadopters experienced significant declines in their cost of capital and substantialimprovements in their market liquidity compared to ”label” adopters (Daske et al. 2009).Accordingly, it is predicted that the IFRS related effects for first-time adopters are likelyto be greater in countries with higher quality institutions and countries with levels ofhigher divergence between domestic GAAP and IFRS (Ding et al. 2007).3.2 Disadvantages and Costs of IFRSThere are several reasons why the expected benefits of IFRS may not be achieved. Reducing accounting alternatives may result in a less true and faithfulrepresentation of the firms’ underlying economics (Barth, Landsman & Lang2008). As a result of the principle-based nature of IFRS (Hong 2008), professionaljudgment may create the opportunities for earnings management (Jeanjean &Stolowy 2008). Weak enforcement mechanisms of adopting nations can reduce financialreporting quality, even when high quality accounting standards are implemented(Brown & Tarca 2007).Furthermore, capital market effects of IFRS are more pronounced in countries withstricter enforcement regimes and, therefore, better IFRS implementation (Hail & Leuz
2006). Wang & Yu (2009) and Leuz (2006) showed that capital market effects were also
apparent when stronger reporting incentives and, thus, higher quality financial reporting
were evident. A higher divergence between IFRS and local GAAP, and therefore, larger
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