What is it about?
Small and medium-sized businesses need accounting information that follows reliable standards and supports better decisions. In Brazil, the CPC for small and medium-sized entities was created in connection with the international standard known as IFRS for SMEs. This study examines how accounting service providers understand and apply this standard in their professional work. The research was based on responses from 26 accounting professionals in Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul. The results show that applying the standard is difficult in practice, particularly when professional judgment is required. One example is the use of substance over form, which asks accountants to look beyond legal form and consider the economic reality of a transaction. In plain terms, the article shows that the standard is recognized as relevant, but its practical adoption remains limited.
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Why is it important?
This work is relevant because small and medium-sized businesses depend heavily on external accounting professionals. If these professionals face difficulties in applying the CPC for small and medium-sized entities, the quality and comparability of accounting information may be affected. The article shows that tax rules and fiscal routines still influence accounting practice strongly. This finding helps explain why the transition to international accounting standards can be difficult in smaller business contexts. The study can support professional education, continuing training and institutional actions aimed at improving the practical application of accounting standards.
Perspectives
This publication reflects my interest in the gap between accounting regulation and accounting practice. Standards may change formally, but their application depends on professional judgment, training, routines and the institutional environment in which accountants work. The article shows that the adoption of IFRS-based standards for small and medium-sized entities requires more than knowledge of the rule. It also requires conditions that allow accounting professionals to move beyond tax-oriented practices and produce information that better represents business reality.
PhD. Rafael Todescato Cavalheiro
Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Aplicação das IFRS para pequenas e médias empresas na perspectiva dos prestadores de serviços contábeis, RC&C Revista de Contabilidade e Controladoria, August 2017, Universidade Federal do Parana,
DOI: 10.5380/rcc.v9i2.49804.
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