Note 10 - Related Party Transactions (Details Textual)					5 Months Ended	7 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 14, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 14, 2016 BRL	Sep. 13, 2016	Sep. 08, 2016 USD ($)	May 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Related Party Transaction, Expenses from Transactions with Related Party							$ 28,403,000	$ 28,542,000
SGRP Holdings [Member]
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired				100.00%
Merhold Property Trust [Member]
Number Of Vehicles Subleased							2
Number Of Vehicles Leased							126
Lessee Leasing Arrangements, Operating Leases, Term of Contract							4 years
SGRP Holdings [Member] | SPAR BSMT Joint Venture [Member]
Variable Interest Entity, Qualitative or Quantitative Information, Ownership Percentage			51.00%
JKC [Member] | SPAR BSMT Joint Venture [Member]
Variable Interest Entity, Qualitative or Quantitative Information, Ownership Percentage			39.00%
EILLC [Member] | SPAR BSMT Joint Venture [Member]
Variable Interest Entity, Qualitative or Quantitative Information, Ownership Percentage			10.00%
Non-affiliated Third-party Provider [Member]
Cost Plus Fee, Percentage								1.00%
Loan From SGRP Holdings on Behalf of EILLC [Member] | SPAR BSMT [Member]
Proceeds from Related Party Debt	$ 37,200	BRL 116,326
SBS [Member]
Number of Merchandising Specialists							7,000
Number of National, Regional, and District Administrators							56
Related Party Transaction, Reimbursement of Legal Expenses from Transaction with Related Party							$ 736,000	$ 573,000
SBS [Member] | Domestic Merchandising Specialists Field Force [Member]
Payments for Related Party Services							$ 22,700,000	$ 21,100,000
Percent Of Service Provided By Related Party							79.00%	82.00%
SBS [Member] | Domestic Field Management [Member]
Payments for Related Party Services							$ 4,300,000	$ 4,500,000
Percent Of Service Provided By Related Party							92.00%
SBS [Member] | Cost Plus Fees [Member]
Related Party Transaction, Rate					4.00%	2.00%	2.96%
SBS And SAS [Member] | Domestic Field Management [Member]
Related Party Transaction, Expenses from Transactions with Related Party							$ 27,000,000	$ 25,600,000
NRS [Member]
Majority Interest Ownership Percentage By Parent						51.00%	51.00%
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners						49.00%	49.00%
NRS [Member] | Domestic Merchandising Specialists Field Force [Member]
Percent Of Service Provided By Related Party								5.00%
NRS [Member] | Plus2 Compensation [Member]
Related Party Transaction, Rate								2.00%
Related Party Transaction, Amounts of Transaction								$ 26,000
C M R Meridien [Member]
Majority Interest Ownership Percentage By Parent						51.00%	51.00%
Mr. Brian Mason Mr. Garry Bristow And Mr. Adrian Wingfield [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners						49.00%	49.00%
Mr. Mason [Member] | Merhold Property Trust [Member]
Related Party Ownership Percentage							50.00%
Mr. Mason [Member] | Merhold Holding Trust [Member]
Related Party Ownership Percentage							46.70%
Mr. Mason and Mr. Bristow [Member] | Merhold Cape Property Trust [Member]
Related Party Ownership Percentage							50.00%
Mr. Bristow [Member] | Merhold Holding Trust [Member]
Related Party Ownership Percentage							20.00%
Mr. Wingfield [Member] | Merhold Holding Trust [Member]
Related Party Ownership Percentage							33.30%
NDS [Member]
Majority Interest Ownership Percentage By Parent						51.00%	51.00%
Mr And Ms Yilmaz [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners						49.00%	49.00%
Related Party Ownership Percentage							40.00%
SPAR Todopromo [Member]
Majority Interest Ownership Percentage By Parent						51.00%	51.00%
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners						49.00%	49.00%
Mr. Juan F. Medina Domenzain [Member] | CON [Member]
Related Party Ownership Percentage							90.00%
SPAR InfoTech, Inc. [Member] | Assistance Provided in Connection to Brazilian Acquisition [Member]
Related Party Transaction, Amounts of Transaction				$ 49,000
JV Agreement [Member] | SPAR BSMT [Member]
Number of Directors			5
SGRP Holdings [Member] | JV Agreement [Member] | SPAR BSMT [Member]
Number of Directors			3
Proceeds from Related Party Debt	448,000	1,400,000
SGRP Holdings [Member] | Loan Agreement [Member] | JKC [Member]
Proceeds from Related Party Debt	38,700	120,423
SPAR BSMT [Member] | JV Agreement [Member] | JKC [Member]
Number of Directors			1
EILLC [Member] | JV Agreement [Member] | SPAR BSMT [Member]
Number of Directors			1
JKC [Member] | JV Agreement [Member] | SPAR BSMT [Member]
Proceeds from Related Party Debt	$ 145,175	BRL 453,673