An empirical investigation of the relationship between culture and accountants' attitude towards the harmonization of International Accounting Standards in United States of America and Cameroon

The growth of multinational corporations around the world has increased the need for harmonization of International Accounting Standards (IAS). Accounting practitioners and researchers have studied accounting practices and standards in developing and developed countries. These studies have consistently referred to culture as park of the reason for differences in accounting practices, and as a major factor impending harmonization of IAS.; This study investigated the relationship between culture and accountants' attitude towards harmonization of IAS in the United States and Cameroon. Cultural values were developed with Hofstede's value survey model (VSM) which measures Power Distance (PDT), Individualism (IDV), Masculinity (MAS) and Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI).; The results indicate that Cameroon participants had statistically significant positive correlations between harmonization with both PDT and MAS. These correlations indicate that, as harmonization scores increase PDT and MAS scores increase. The other correlations were not statistically significant. Cameroon participants accepted the notion that IAS should limit the allowed alternatives for accounting measurement. U.S. participants were not in favor of such a move because it limited their choice of accounting measurement alternatives.