How does a country decide to adopt a specific set of accounting standards? An analysis of Mexico's transition to International Financial Reporting Standards

Abstract

This paper first defines financial reporting and gives examples of popular accounting standards, such as United States Generally Accepted Accounting Standards and International Financial Reporting Standards. Then the paper analyzes why a country would choose a certain set of standards and which factors about that country are important when determining which set of standards to implement. There are five factors that I hypothesize are important in a country's decision to implement a certain set of accounting standards: the country's culture, economy, trade agreements, political state, and colonial history. Finally, Mexico is used as an example to test this hypothesis. Mexico implemented International Financial Reporting Standards when many people would have assumed they would implement United States Generally Accepted Accounting Standards. But specific characteristics about their culture, economy, trade agreements, political state, and colonial history led them to choose International Financial Reporting Standards.