Implementation Progress of IFRS for SMEs by the SMEs in Wolaita Sodo, Southern Ethiopia: From the SMEs Owner Managers’ Perspective

The government of Ethiopia adopted the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) (full IFRS, IFRS for Small and Medium Entities (SMEs) and International Public Sector Accounting Standards [IPSAS]) as financial accounting and reporting standard to the reporting entities in the country (Proclamation No. 847, 2014). Even though the standard is adopted, there has been no empirical study tried to investigate the implementation progress of IFRS for SMEs by the SMEs in Ethiopia. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the implementation progress of IFRS for SMEs by the SMEs in Wolaita Sodo, Southern Ethiopia. This research used descriptive cross sectional survey approach which was based on a statistical analysis of questionnaires completed by owner managers of SMEs. The sampling rate of 10% was applied across five major sectors to come up with a sample of 67 SMEs. The findings from the study revealed that contrary to Accounting and Auditing Board of Ethiopia (AABE’s) IFRS implementation road map, majority of the SMEs even did not have any information about financial accounting standards; the adoption of IFRS by the country and they are one of the reporting entities required to prepare general purpose financial statements. Based on these findings, the author recommends that, AABE needs to revise its road map and give attention to the IFRS for SMEs implementation campaign so as to entertain the expected advantages from the IFRS adoption. Professionals need to undertake research in different parts of the country and push the implementation through training of the concerned bodies. It is also suggested that, the concerned regulatory bodies should design and pursue strong regulation for the implementation of IFRS for the SMEs in the country.