| Abstract: | This case is based on a privately held company that had implemented Accounting Standards for Private Enterprises (ASPE) but has now, in anticipation of a public offering, voluntarily decided to change from ASPE to Canadian IFRS for its December 31, 2013 fiscal year‐end. This case demonstrates that the fear associated with implementation of new accounting standards is often blown out of proportion, with the result that companies incur significant and unnecessary financial costs and employees experience undue stress. Although businesses can have complex IFRS issues, the approach of training staff, extensive planning, and preparing the board of directors and owners for the implications on the bottom line can be utilized by both large and small organizations to reduce the stress of IFRS implementation. Students are required to prepare a report to identify the accounts that will require changes, to analyze and recommend a course of action for those accounts for which IFRS provide options, to develop an implementation plan for parallel tracking for a 12‐month period, as well as make recommendations for project team members, budget, and timeline. |
