CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Small and medium scale enterprises are the engine that drives most economies of the world. Their importance to the economy of Nigeria cannot be overlooked. SMEs activities-both international and local have contributed immensely to the gross domestic product in the economy as they participate in manufacturing, importation, exportation, employment etc. According to Gono (2013), SMEs contribute to output and employment creation and they are also a nursery for the larger firms of the future. The most successful developing country over the last 50 years, Taiwan is built on a dynamic SME sector. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have played a significant role in Taiwan’s economic development in expanding exports and providing jobs.
The need to harmonize accounting reporting standards for organizations operating around the world has prompted the Central bank of Nigeria to set January 2014 as deadline for adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) for small and medium scale enterprises in Nigeria. This mandate has posed a lot of questions on the awareness, readiness and financial ability of SME operators to comply with the new accounting reporting standards. This new era where globalization is fast becoming real, it is imperative to investigate the effect the IFRS adoption possess on small and medium scale enterprises as they have a key role to play in international trade in Nigeria. According to OECD (2012), the level of which globalization affect SMEs is a function of their engagement in exporting activities. This is particularly the case of SMEs in Nigeria, as Nigeria is a major exporter of agricultural produce.
The introduction of IFRS in Nigeria and the current state of globalization simply means that SMEs cannot continue with local standards for financial reporting purposes. For SMEs involved in international trade with subsidiaries and franchises in other countries to be more successful internationally, it must comply with the IFRS guidelines. As a result of the harmonization of accounting reporting standards, the adoption of the IFRS has been widely accepted by various countries of the world. However, the full IFRS promulgated by the IASB has been found to be irrelevant due to the disclosure requirements, which are extensive for SMEs. For this reason, the IASB promulgated a simplified version of the IFRS applicable to SMEs-the IFRS for SMEs. As a result of broad discussion of SMEs and common standards for SMEs worldwide, the International Accounting Standard Board (IASB) introduced an International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) designed for use by small and medium-sized entities (SMEs) on July 9, 2009 (International Accounting Standards Board, 2010).
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