Economic Integration, IFRS Adoption and Accounting Comparability

We examine the effect of economic integration on accounting comparability. Using the adoption of the common Euro currency as a shock to economic integration, we document two effects. First, we show a direct effect around the adoption of the Euro – accounting comparability increases among industries in adopting countries relative to those in non-adopting ones; and this increase is more pronounced when adopting countries also experience increases in arm’s-length financing. Second, economic integration also has an indirect effect, by influencing the effect of accounting standards harmonization (proxied by IFRS adoption) on accounting comparability. We find that the effect of IFRS adoption on accounting comparability is two times larger for Euro members compared to non-Euro members. Our paper highlights the interplay between economic integration, accounting standards harmonization, and accounting comparability.

This seminar is organised by the Erasmus Accounting Research Group.