• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.95-101
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• 2015

Purpose - This study provides evidence of the impact of the mandatory adoption of Korean equivalents to International Financial Reporting Standards (K-IFRS) on accounting quality. K-IFRS uses fair value as a basis of measurement and is characterized by principle-based standards. These characteristics can lead to a decrease in conservatism. Therefore, this study aims to examine whether or not there is a change in the level of conservatism before and after the enforcement of K-IFRS (2007~2014). By comparing 2007 through 2008 and 2013 through 2014 (excluding 2009 to 2012), we test "the temporary adjustment phenomenon" and document an overall decline in the degree of conservatism after the adoption of K-IFRS. Research design, data, and methodology - Our sample is comprised of data of all listed Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) manufacturing distribution companies in Korea from 2007 to 2014, which yields the pooled sample of 4,412 (panel A) and 1,915 (panel B) firm-year observations for hypotheses 1 and 2. In line with recent literature, we adopt the Givoly and Hayn (2000) model, which recomputes the non-operating accruals, excluding two components that are most likely to capture the effect of restructuring activities: special items and gains or losses from discontinued operations. In addition, we also use these variables: SIZE, LEV, INV_CYCLE, ROA, OWN, and FOR. Results - Our sample period spans 2007 to 2014. This offers evidence on the effect of the mandatory adoption of IFRS on conservatism. Our findings can be summarized as follows. First, in panel A, for mandatory K-IFRS adoption (2011), we do not find any significant evidence of conservatism. We can guess that the "temporary adjustment phenomenon" is the reason that we do not find significant evidence of conservatism. Second, we investigate panel B from 2009 to 2012. We document an overall decline in the degree of conservatism after the adoption of K-IFRS. We can assume that these results are due to "the temporary adjustment phenomenon." Conclusions - This study finds that conservatism significantly decreased after IFRS adoption. In particular, this study makes the initial effort to elucidate "the temporary adjustment phenomenon" to analyze the effect of K-IFRS on conservative accounting. We argue that K-IFRS are conceptually conservative but that inappropriate application of the conservatism principles is likely to prevent financial reporting from reaching the level of conservatism targeted by the IASB. Overall, this paper contributes to the literature on IFRS and can be useful to capital market supervisors who are monitoring the trends of the firms implementing K-IFRS. Additionally, our results inform stakeholders of the potentially negative effect of the greater flexibility permitted by IFRS and/or lack of appropriate enforcement on key dimensions of accounting quality. This has important implications for Korean regulators and standard setters as they review the cost and benefits of IFRS. Our study also sheds light on the importance of the institutional environment in achieving the targeted objectives for improving financial reporting quality.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.9
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• pp.189-199
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• 2021

This study attempts to examine the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure and earnings management practices in the context of Saudi Arabia after mandatory IFRS adoption. It is carried out on an unbalanced panel of 277 observations over the period 2017-2019. For this purpose, CSR disclosure is measured by Bloomberg ESG scores, while the residuals from the modified Jones model are considered for earnings management. As control variables, we have retained the firm performance, market-to-book ratio, firm size, financial leverage, board independence, ownership concentration, managerial ownership, and lagged discretionary accruals. Using the system GMM estimator in the dynamic panel, the results show a positive association between CSR disclosure and earnings management practices, thus supporting the perspective of agency theory. Managers engage in socially responsible activities beforehand to conceal their wrongdoing and convince stakeholders that the organization is transparent. They probably use ethical codes as a tool to achieve their own goals rather than the firm's goals. Our contribution is the use of recent data (2017-2019) taking into account the mandatory adoption of IFRS in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, to our knowledge, this study is the first to address CSR disclosure and earnings management practices using GMM system estimates.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.259-281
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• 2018

Advocates of mandatory IFRS adoption claim that IFRS increase financial statement comparability, which in turn leads to greater cross-border investment(Securities and Exchange Commision, 2008). The notion is that improved financial statement comparability reduces the information acquisition costs of global investors and thereby increase their investment in foreign firms. The purpose of this study is to examine this assertion by examining whether the K-IFRS adoption rusults in improved comparability that leads to increased investment by foreign investment. We also examined whether the relation between comparability and foreign investment has strengthen after adoption of K-IFRS. To achieve the purpose of our study, we measure Korean firms comparability using stock price model, stock return model and cash flow from operation model by Barth et al.(2012). We use both foreign ownership in the end of year and average during the year for dependent variables were to reduce bias. We test our hypothesis using 1,817 firm-year observation of KOSPI firms during the period of our analysis, 2011-2015. Consistent with our hypothesis, we find K-IFRS adoption results in a greater increase in foreign investment in firms with high comparability firms. This result indicate that the adoption of K-IFRS intends to achieve the international accounting convergence as stated in the roadmap and to reduce the Korea Discount.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.283-291
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• 2017

This Study analyzes the predictability of accounting information from mandatory K-IFRS adoption using the K-IFRS reconciliations information. We use the sample of 2,557 firm-year Korea listed companies belonging to non-financial corporate sector during 2010-2016. Specifically, we examine whether K-IFS reconciliation would improve or reduce the predicting power for future earnings after K-IFRS adoption. The results of empirical analyses show that reconciliation information from discretionary judgement tend to reduce the predicting power of K-IFRS based accounting earnings for future earnings. This result indicates that managers are likely to use the adjustments process to reconcile K-GAAP accounting numbers with corresponding K-IFRS as means to realize the various private utility. This study is expected to provide useful information by suggesting the need for more rigid screening schemes for the K-IFRS reconciliation process and also for adequate measures to be taken to ensure that the interests of the outside investors are properly protected.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.51-68
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• 2016

In this paper, we aim to analyze the effect of accounting policy change subsequent to the adoption of K-IFRS in Korea, whereby the firms are required to recognize impairment losses on goodwill on a periodic basis rather than to amortize over a specific period. As a principle-based accounting standard, the K-IFRS expands the scope of fair value measurement with a view to enhance the relevance and timeliness of accounting information. In the same vein, intangibles with indefinite useful life, of which goodwill is an example, are subject to regulatory impairment tests at least once a year. Related literature on the impact of mandatory change in goodwill policy document that impairment recognition is more likely to be practiced opportunistically, mainly because managers have a greater discretion to conduct the tests under K-IFRS. However, existing literature examined the frequency and/or magnitude of the goodwill impairment before versus after the K-IFRS adoption, failing to notice the impairment symptoms at individual firm level. Borrowing the definition of impairment symptoms suggested by Ramanna and Watts(2012), this study performs a series of tests to determine whether the goodwill impairment recognition achieves the goal of communicating timelier information under the K-IFRS regime. Using 947 firm-year observations from domestic companies listed in KRX and KOSDAQ markets from 2008 to 2011, we document overall delays in recognizing impairment losses on goodwill after the adoption of K-IFRS relative to prior period, based on logistic and OLS regression analyses. The results are qualitatively similar in robustness tests, which use alternative proxy for goodwill impairment symptom. Afore-mentioned results indicate that managers are likely to take advantage of the increased discretion to recognize the impairment losses on goodwill rather than to provide timelier information on impairment, inconsistent with the goal of regulatory authority, which is in line with the improvement of timeliness and relevance of accounting information in conjunction with the full implementation of K-IFRS. This study contributes to the extant literature on goodwill impairment from a methodological viewpoint. We believe that the method employed in this paper potentially diminishes the bias inherent in researches relying on ex post impairment recognition, by conducting tests based on ex ante impairment symptoms, which allows direct examination of the timeliness changes between before and after K-IFRS adoption.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.113-127
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• 2012

From the end of 1st quarter of 2012, Korean mandatory firms had started releasing financial reports conforming to the K-IFRS(Korean adopted International Financial Reporting Standards). Major characteristics of IFRS, such as 'principles based' features, consolidated reporting, 'fair value' measurement, increased pressure for non-financial disclosures have resulted in brief and various disclosure practices regarding the main body of each statements and vast amount of note description requirements. Meanwhile, a host of previous studies on IFRS disclosures have incorporated regulatory and/or 'compete information' perspectives, mainly focusing on suggesting further enforcement of strengthened requirements and providing guidelines for specific treatments. Thus, as an extension of prior findings and suggestions this study had explored to conduct an integrative approach embracing views of the reporting entities and the users of financial information. In spite of all the state-driven efforts for faithful representation and comparability of corporate financial reports, an overhaul of disclosure practices of fiscal year 2010 and 2011 had revealed numerous cases of insufficiency and discordance in terms of mandatory norms and market expectations. As to the causes of such shortcomings, this study identified several factors from the corporate side and the users of the information; some inherent aspects of IFRS, industry/corporate-specific context, expenditures related to internalizing IFRS system, reduced time frame for presentation. lack of clarity and details to meet the quality of information - understandability, comparability etc. - commonly requested by the user group. In order to improve current disclosure practices, dual approach had been suggested; Firstly, to encourage and facilitate implementation, (1) further segmentation and differentiation of mandates among companies, (2) redefining the scope and depth of note descriptions, (3) diversification and coordination of reporting periods, (4) providing support for equipping disclosure systems and granting incentives for best practices had been discussed. Secondly, as for the hard measures, (5) regularizing active involvement of corporate and user group delegations in the establishment and amendment process of K-IFRS (6) enforcing detailed and standardized disclosure on reporting entities had been recommended.