International financial reporting standards (IFRS) adoption in Vietnam: If, when and how?

Abstract

The paper examines the perceptions of Vietnamese accounting practitioners and academics regarding the optimal approach and timeline of IFRS adoption in Vietnam. Perceptions were obtained and analysed from 3,000 questionnaires sent to Vietnamese auditors, accountants, and accounting academics across Vietnam in 2012. A total of 728 usable responses were received producing an effective response rate of 24 per cent. The majority of the respondents considered that IFRS adoption should be permitted for voluntary adoption rather than mandatory adoption. The results indicate that the staggered convergence approach is more optimal than the big bang approach of IFRS adoption. A five year period for transition and preparation with some difficulties and obstacles associated with IFRS implementation is anticipated. The findings will assist accounting practitioners, educators, and policy makers to prepare themselves for the implications of IFRS convergence and adoption.