Ifrs Synthesis Essay - 1281 Words

For nearly half a century, a movement has been underway to establish a high-quality, comprehensive set of international accounting standards, with the goal of facilitating international trade and investment. In the global capital market, differences in the rules of accounting for the purposes of recognition, measurement, and reporting of financial results have impaired the smooth transfer of information across borders. Given that it accounts for nearly a third of the global market, there is considerable pressure for the United States to conform to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), as promulgated by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). While moving to a single set of accounting standards could create†¦show more content†¦Standardized reporting across firms from different countries would facilitate cross-border investment and the integration of capital markets (Hail, Luzi, et al). According to Beke (2011), Standardization implies the †Å"elimination of alternatives in accounting for representing economic transactions and other events† (Angeloni). In essence, similar events and transactions would be reported in a similar manner, and vice versa. Having more comparable reports allows firms to make better-informed investment choices due to a better understanding of competing firms, which can lead to cost savings. Moreover, firms that have more comparable reports can better contract with suppliers and firms in other countries, and these contracts are more likely to be fully specified and enforceable. Studies also show that the adoption of IFRS reporting should be associated with an increase in market liquidity, as well as a decline in firms’ cost of capital (Hail, Luzi, et al.). Before delving into the arguments against IFRS adoption, it is important to note that the U.S. economy and institutional framework have many idiosyncrasies. Hence, even if switching to IFRS proved beneficial for some countries, it would not necessarily be the same for the United States. To start, the United States possesses the largest economy in the world, and its public equity market accounts for a third of global market