Research productivity of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) from 2003 to 2020

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine the quantitative research productivity of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) globally by using the bibliometric approach. The method was applied to articles indexed in the Scopus database to analyze the publication patterns, trends and research productivity of the selected papers. Design/methodology/approach Bibliometric analysis is applied to analyze research productivity of IFRS from 2003 to 2020. The method was applied to articles indexed in the Scopus database to analyze the publication patterns and research productivity of the selected papers. Findings This study finds that a good number of articles have been published on IFRS, the top five countries are the USA, UK, Australia, Germany and Canada. This clearly shows that developed markets have the highest number of publications on IFRS. This could be as a result of the early adoption of IFRS by those economies and owing to the interest of researchers in those markets. Most of the studies are quantitative in nature; this study indicates that publication on accounting standards is popular as the number of citations is significant; most of the articles have two or more authors and were published in top-ranking journals. Practical implications This study provides up-to-date literature on the global research productivity of IFRS; as a result, it supports the development of policies by the users of this accounting standards. The findings of this study also serve as a reference point for firms and regulators around the world. Given the thoroughness of the methodology of this study, the results make it easier to effectively identify the direction of research on the implementation of IFRS in organizations. Originality/value This study provides a more comprehensive bibliometric analysis on the growth of IFRS literature (2003–2020) in the Scopus database; most of the prior studies have covered relatively few areas of focus as well as a fewer number of high impact factor journals. The relevance of this finding is in uncovering different areas of IFRS research productivity globally.

Assessing the Impact of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) through Bibliometric Research

“…Bibliometric research is valuable in assessing the impact of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for several reasons. Firstly, it provides a quantitative analysis of research productivity, publication patterns, and trends related to IFRS, offering insights into the most important research streams and challenges addressed by academics when reporting under IFRS [17]. Additionally, bibliometric analysis can identify the most influential articles, authors, and journals in the field, guiding researchers to the most significant documents and mapping areas of publications [17]- [20].…”

“…Firstly, it provides a quantitative analysis of research productivity, publication patterns, and trends related to IFRS, offering insights into the most important research streams and challenges addressed by academics when reporting under IFRS [17]. Additionally, bibliometric analysis can identify the most influential articles, authors, and journals in the field, guiding researchers to the most significant documents and mapping areas of publications [17]- [20]. Furthermore, it can reveal the subject areas that are the focus of most publications and research opportunities, aiding in the identification of emerging trends and gaps in the existing literature [17], [19].…”

“…Additionally, bibliometric analysis can identify the most influential articles, authors, and journals in the field, guiding researchers to the most significant documents and mapping areas of publications [17]- [20]. Furthermore, it can reveal the subject areas that are the focus of most publications and research opportunities, aiding in the identification of emerging trends and gaps in the existing literature [17], [19]. Moreover, bibliometric analysis can help in assessing the influence of publications in a specific research field, guiding clinical practice decisions and supporting the development of policies by the users of accounting standards [17], [21].…”

“…Furthermore, it can reveal the subject areas that are the focus of most publications and research opportunities, aiding in the identification of emerging trends and gaps in the existing literature [17], [19]. Moreover, bibliometric analysis can help in assessing the influence of publications in a specific research field, guiding clinical practice decisions and supporting the development of policies by the users of accounting standards [17], [21]. Lastly, it can provide a comprehensive overview of the global research productivity of IFRS, supporting the understanding of the impact and relevance of these standards on a global scale [17].…”