Publications
Publications
- 2012
- HBS Working Paper Series
The International Politics of IFRS Harmonization
By: Karthik Ramanna
Abstract
The globalization of accounting standards as seen through the proliferation of IFRS worldwide is one of the most important developments in corporate governance over the last decade. I offer an analysis of some international political dynamics of countries' IFRS harmonization decisions. The analysis is based on field studies in three jurisdictions: Canada, China, and India. Across these jurisdictions, I first describe unique elements of domestic political economies that are shaping IFRS policies. Then, I inductively isolate two principal dimensions that can be used to characterize the jurisdictions' IFRS responses: proximity to existing political powers at the IASB; and own potential political power at the IASB. Based on how countries are classified along these dimensions, I offer predictions, ceteris paribus, on countries' IFRS harmonization strategies. The analysis and framework in this paper can help broaden the understanding of accounting's globalization.
Keywords
Accounting Standards; Globalization; IASB; IFRS; Politics; Financial Reporting; International Accounting; Global Strategy; Corporate Governance; Policy; Government and Politics; Standards; China; India; Canada
Citation
Ramanna, Karthik. "The International Politics of IFRS Harmonization." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 11-132, June 2011. (Revised August 2011, March 2012, August 2012, October 2012. Forthcoming in Accounting, Economics & Law.)