Influence of National Culture on IFRS Practice : An Empirical Study in France, Germany and the United Kingdom

The adoption of IFRS for group accounts of capital market oriented EU companies in 2005 was a milestone in European and international accounting harmonization. The benefits of a harmonized EU capital market, however, might be jeopardized by the inconsistent application of IFRS due to remaining national peculiarities. This study investigates IFRS measurement and disclosure practices in the leading EU economies of France, Germany and the UK. The empirical results show that differences in IFRS application are associated with national cultural differences. The findings of the study lead to several implications for IFRS accounting research and practice.