Accounting ecology and the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards in Germany

Convergence of accounting standards in the context of the European Union is defined by the European Parliament as the application of a single set of high quality international accounting standards for all listed companies in order to contribute to a better functioning of the internal market. Accordingly, all listed companies in the European Union are required to apply International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in their consolidated financial statements from 1 January 2005. However, differences in the legal and political systems, sources of financial capital, economic systems, and cultural features in different European Union countries are likely to cause issues that need further investigation. The main objective of this paper is to show that accounting as the language of business is embedded in a country’s social, political, and economic environment; and is not neutral and value free so that it can be transported (or imposed) across countries without regard for their accounting environments. This study critically examines the issues related to the implementation of IFRS in Germany focusing on the country’s accounting ecology. The findings of this study would particularly benefit international accounting researchers, professionals and accounting standard setting bodies interested in the convergence process.