Conservatism as a cultural accounting value: An empirical study from the perspective of chartered accountants and auditors in Mozambique

Abstract

The study aims to evaluate the potential influence of the cultural value of conservatism on the professional judgment of accountants and certified auditors of Mozambique, from the interpretation and application of the concepts underlying the International Accounting Standard (IAS) 37 of the International Accounting Standard Board (IASB). The study is supported by data from a questionnaire disseminated between July 2020 and February 2021. The answers of a sample of 364 professionals are analyzed. The McNemar and Chi-Square tests were used to analyze the results. The results allowed identifying the conservatism through the existence of significant differences in the interpretation and application of the concepts of assets and liabilities. Therefore, the study reasonably confirms the classification attributed by Gray (1988) to african countries where Mozambique is located. These results remained stable even after the analysis due to different demographic variables. Studies of this nature are not known in Portuguese-speaking African countries, where empirical research on the subject is still incipient.