The relationship between attitude towards harmonization and the internationalization of the corporation: a study of the attitude towards the implementation of IASB standards among Swedish listed companies

Harmonized accounting among European companies would contribute to creating better conditions for the free mobility of capital within the European Union. However, a harmonization of laws and standards does not necessarily lead to a de facto harmonization.

The aim of this paper is to examine the attitude of financial managers in listed Swedish companies towards the implementation of IASB standards in Sweden from 2005. It analyzes whether there is a significant connection between attitude towards implementation of IASB standards and background variables such as share of foreign ownership, number of foreign subsidiary companies, number of stock exchanges on which the company is listed, and the proportion of sales exported. These are variables that we believe reflect a company’s extent of internationalization.

The overall results show that financial managers of Swedish listed companies are cautiously positive towards the implementation of IASB standards. The study also shows that there is a significant connection between extent of internationalization and attitude towards the implementation of IASB standards. Financial managers of internationalized companies are generally more positive towards the implementation of IASB standards than their colleagues in less internationalized companies.