Exploring the role of innovation in the level of readiness to adopt IPSAS

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of readiness of the public sector in Qatar to adopt International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), based on the innovation diffusion theory. The responses of accountants (preparers) and auditors employed in the public sector are explored in this regard, and challenges faced in IPSAS implementation are highlighted. Design/methodology/approach - A primary research approach was adopted using a questionnaire that yielded 101 responses. Five dimensions are focused on: relative advantage, top management support, satisfaction with the current accounting system, barriers to adopting IPSAS, and attitudes towards innovation. Findings - Relative advantage, barriers to adopting IPSAS and satisfaction with the current system were found to be the most significant. The influence of these variables appears to promote or hinder the implementation of IPSAS in the public sector of Qatar and, perhaps, the wider region. Practical implications - Even if professionals understand the potential benefits of adopting IPSAS, they are unlikely to advance such adoption without upper echelon-sanctioned cost-benefit analyses and approval. Hence, policymakers should consider the need for a top-down shift in the way IPSASs are viewed and promoted to enable their successful implementation in the public sector. Social implications - The positive association between satisfaction with current systems and the level of IPSAS implementation suggests that respondents view the usefulness and ease of use of their current systems as a primary reason to adopt IPSAS as an ‘upgrade’. Originality/value - This study advances the understanding of the pre-transition process by drawing on innovation theory, which reveals determinants of IPSAS implementation in the case of Qatar. This study adds to prior studies on government accounting in developing nations.