A Research Based Perspective on SEC’s Proposed Rule on ROADMAP FOR Potential Use of Financial Statements Prepared in Accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by U.S. Issuers

16 Pages Posted: 16 Apr 2009 Last revised: 11 Jun 2013

See all articles by Karim Jamal

Karim Jamal

University of Alberta - Department of Accounting, Operations & Information Systems

Robert H. Colson

Grant Thornton LLP

Robert J. Bloomfield

Cornell University - Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management

Theodore E. Christensen

University of Georgia - J.M. Tull School of Accounting; University of Georgia

Stephen R. Moehrle

University of Missouri at Saint Louis - Accounting Area

James A. Ohlson

Hong Kong Polytechnic University - School of Accounting and Finance

Stephen H. Penman

Columbia University - Columbia Business School, Accounting, Business Law & Taxation

Gary Previts

Case Western Reserve University - Department of Accountancy

Thomas L. Stober

University of Notre Dame - Department of Accountancy

Shyam Sunder

Yale University - School of Management; Yale University - Cowles Foundation

Ross L. Watts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Sloan School of Management

Date Written: April 14, 2009

Abstract

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a call for comment on a proposal to adopt a Roadmap for potential use of international financial reporting standards (IFRS) by U.S. Companies. We comment on five key issues raised by the SEC proposal. First, we propose that the need for a global regulator is overstated. A global regulator is unlikely to help achieve the stated goals of comparability and consistency of financial reporting on a global basis. We favor allowing U.S. companies to choose use of U.S. GAAP or IFRS rather than mandating one global monopoly set of standards. Second, we agree that the focus on auditing is a very relevant issue that deserves more attention from standard setters. Gains from adopting principles based accounting standards such as IFRS are likely to be realized only if auditors are also principles based. Third, while we have serious concerns about governance and financing mechanisms of IASB, we recommend that all regulatory actions cannot be held to a standstill while structural changes are made to the IASB. Fourth, we are not in favor of requiring reconciliation schedules from U.S. companies using IFRS. We view such reconciliations as being costly and unnecessary. Fifth, we recommend that the SEC pay more explicit attention to the educational and professional judgment consequences of its proposals.

This comment was developed by the Financial Accounting Standards Committee of the American Accounting Association and does not represent an official position of the American Accounting Association.

Keywords: U.S. GAAP, IFRS, SEC, Reconciliation, Roadmap

JEL Classification: M41, M44, M47, G38

Suggested Citation

Jamal, Karim and Colson, Robert H. and Bloomfield, Robert J. and Christensen, Theodore E. and Moehrle, Stephen R. and Ohlson, James A. and Penman, Stephen H. and Previts, Gary J. and Stober, Thomas L. and Sunder, Shyam and Watts, Ross L., A Research Based Perspective on SEC’s Proposed Rule on ROADMAP FOR Potential Use of Financial Statements Prepared in Accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by U.S. Issuers (April 14, 2009). Accounting Horizons, Vol. 24, No. 1, 2010, University of Alberta School of Business Research Paper No. 2013-683, Johnson School Research Paper Series No. 21-09, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1381292 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1381292

Karim Jamal (Contact Author)

University of Alberta - Department of Accounting, Operations & Information Systems ( email )

Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R6
Canada
780-492-5829 (Phone)
780-492-3325 (Fax)

Robert H. Colson

Grant Thornton LLP ( email )

Chicago, IL
United States

Robert J. Bloomfield

Cornell University - Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management ( email )

450 Sage Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853
United States
607-255-9407 (Phone)
607-254-4590 (Fax)

Theodore E. Christensen

University of Georgia - J.M. Tull School of Accounting ( email )

Athens, GA 30602
United States

University of Georgia ( email )

Athens, GA
United States

Stephen R. Moehrle

University of Missouri at Saint Louis - Accounting Area ( email )

8001 Natural Bridge Road
St. Louis, MO 63121
United States
314-516-6142 (Phone)
314-516-6420 (Fax)

James A. Ohlson

Hong Kong Polytechnic University - School of Accounting and Finance ( email )

M715, Li Ka Shing Tower
Hung Hom, Kowloon
China

Stephen H. Penman

Columbia University - Columbia Business School, Accounting, Business Law & Taxation ( email )

665 West 130 Street
Kravis Hall
New York, NY 10027
United States
(212) 854-9151 (Phone)

Gary J. Previts

Case Western Reserve University - Department of Accountancy ( email )

Cleveland, OH 44106-7235
United States
216-368-2074 (Phone)
216-368-4776 (Fax)

Thomas L. Stober

University of Notre Dame - Department of Accountancy ( email )

Notre Dame, IN 46556-0399
United States
219-631-7614 (Phone)

Shyam Sunder

Yale University - School of Management ( email )

165 Whitney Avenue
P.O. Box 208200
New Haven, CT 06520-8200
United States
203-432-6160 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.som.yale.edu/faculty/sunder/

Yale University - Cowles Foundation ( email )

Box 208281
New Haven, CT 06520-8281
United States

Ross L. Watts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Sloan School of Management ( email )

E52-325
Cambridge, MA 02142
United States

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