The Implementation and the Effects of SOX on Swedish Companies

Abstract

There are twelve Swedish companies that must comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), this requires a great effort that will cost a substantial amount of money and time. The aim of this thesis is to enlighten the reader of the effects of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on Swedish companies. This study concentrates only on Swedish companies which are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and are thereby required to comply with SOX. A qualitative study with semi-structured interviews was conducted to analyse the different companies. The research showed that SOX has had a great impact on Swedish companies. The process of implementing SOX into Swedish companies has been an extensive project. There is a great difference between the approaches used for the implementation. External consultants have been used to a large extent by all companies. The attitude towards SOX in Swedish companies is mainly positive in top management but more negative in lower levels. SOX has caused several companies to consider if it is really still feasible to be present on the US capital market.