Does Islamic Religiosity Influence Professional Accountants’ Judgments? Evidence from Global Convergence of IFRS

Abstract

We examine the influence of religiosity on professional accountants’ judgments towards global convergence of financial reporting using, as an example, the Islamic religiosity context of Bangladesh. Professional accountants’ judgments, in relation to the global convergence of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), is measured using Gray’s (1988) accounting values (professionalism vs. statutory control, conservatism vs. optimism, uniformity vs. flexibility and secrecy vs. transparency), with Islamic religiosity measured using the Sahin–Francis Scale of Attitude towards Islam. We find that professional accountants in Bangladesh who have higher levels of Islamic religiosity values are supportive of statutory control, uniformity, conservatism, and secrecy. These findings suggest that professional accountants in Bangladesh are less likely to be supportive of principles-based financial reporting standards such as IFRS. The findings have implications for global accounting standard setters, international accounting firms, and multinational companies, particularly in Islamic countries. Our study findings may be useful to regulators in Bangladesh and other Islamic countries in improving the quality of the convergence of IFRS.

Keywords: International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS); Islamic religiosity; principles-based standards; rules-based standards; accountants’ professional judgments; structural equation modelling

JEL Classification: D91; G41; M41