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1 – 10 of over 129000Rocco R. Vanasco, Clifford R. Skousen and Curtis C. Verschoor
Professional accounting associations in various countries andgovernmental and other quasi‐official bodies have played an importantrole not only in the evolution of internal…
Abstract
Professional accounting associations in various countries and governmental and other quasi‐official bodies have played an important role not only in the evolution of internal control reporting on a global scale, but also in educating management, investors, financial institutions, accountants, auditors, and other interested parties highlighting the pervasiveness of the effects of a sound internal control structure in corporate reporting as well as other aspects of an organization′s success. These associations include the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the General Accounting Office (GAO), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Cadbury Committee, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW), the Scottish Institute of Chartered Accountants (SICA), the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA), and others. Business failures, management fraud, corporate misconduct, international bribery, and notorious business scandals in all sectors of business have prompted the US government to take drastic action on internal control reporting to safeguard public interest. Several professional and government committees were formed to study this precarious situation: the Treadway Commission, the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) of the Treadway Commission, the Packard Commission, the Cohen Commission, the Adams Commission in Canada, the Cadbury Committee in the UK, and others. The principal motivation for the changing dynamics has been growing public pressure for greater corporate accountability. The government′s pressure on the accounting profession and management of public corporations has been pivotal in spearheading internal control reporting. Examines the role of professional associations, governmental agencies, and others in promulgating standards for internal control reporting, and the impact of legislation on this aspect of internal auditing in the USA and worldwide.
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Pouya Seifzadeh and W. Glenn Rowe
Corporate controls are mechanisms that corporations use to ensure that the processes and/or outcomes of their business units meet corporate expectations. Challenges in measurement…
Abstract
Purpose
Corporate controls are mechanisms that corporations use to ensure that the processes and/or outcomes of their business units meet corporate expectations. Challenges in measurement of corporate controls have led many researchers to operationalize them as part of the more ambiguous corporate effects construct, instead of addressing them separately. The purpose of this paper is to examine the significance of “fit” between corporate control mechanisms and business unit strategy in performance of business units.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use ordinary least squares regression analysis on data collected between 2010 and 2012 from surveys from managers of 142 Iranian corporations and 1,822 of their subsidiaries. The authors also use financial and market data collected by an IDRO division and accessed through partnership in a joint project.
Findings
The authors found that while the fit between business unit strategy and corporate controls has a significant effect on business unit financial performance, it does not have a similar effect on market performance. The findings demonstrate that when business unit managers perceive that they are subject to a balance of strategic and financial controls with a slightly greater emphasis on strategic controls, then business units have higher financial and market performance, although the difference in financial performance is not significant.
Research limitations/implications
The authors find that the misfit between corporate controls and business strategies in such cases could negatively affect the performance of the business unit. However, this research also contributes to a better understanding of the importance of strategic controls to the successful performance of business units. The findings show that while the fit between controls and strategy is most critical for achieving financial performance in business units that pursue product leadership, strategic controls play a more prominent role than financial controls in achieving higher financial or market share performance for all business units.
Practical implications
The findings of the propositions in this research would discourage corporations with tight financial control from engaging in acquisition of businesses considered to be product leaders in their relative product markets.
Originality/value
Past research focusing on the fit between corporate-level factors and business-level factors and their role on business performance are largely limited to conceptual work. The limited empirical studies completed in the past generally reduce control mechanisms to lack or absence of autonomy. This shortcoming has been mainly due to difficulties in measurement of control mechanisms. The empirical study overcomes these barriers and in doing so, reveals surprising findings related to the effectiveness of different control mechanisms.
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Muhammad Iqmal Hisham Kamaruddin and Sofiah Md. Auzair
This study aims to examine the role of financial management practices, which consist of financial disclosure, internal control, financial planning and budgeting and financial…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the role of financial management practices, which consist of financial disclosure, internal control, financial planning and budgeting and financial performance on Islamic social enterprises’ (ISEs) accountability.
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaires were administered to financial officers of 102 Malaysian ISEs. Findings were analysed using Smart-PLS to examine the relationships between financial management practices and accountability.
Findings
Results of this study indicate a direct relationship exists between internal control and accountability. Relationships between other financial management practices and accountability are indirect through internal control. Hence, the data demonstrates that internal control has a mediating role on other financial management practices, which are financial disclosure and financial performance management with the accountability of ISEs.
Research limitations/implications
This study has implicated the significant role of financial management practices in ISEs in the pursuance of their accountability especially internal control to achieve public trust.
Practical implications
Appropriate financial management practices, especially internal control, are essential for the ISEs to achieve good accountability.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the field of management and social accounting by providing empirical evidence on ISE practices specifically on financial management practices and accountability. This framework thus presents among the early attempts in studying accountability issues in ISEs.
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Waqas Khan, Qasim Ali Nisar, Nadia Nasir, Sobia Nasir and Yousaf Siddiqui
This study aims to examine the key entrepreneurial roles (financial literacy, risk tolerance and competency) in the financial performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the key entrepreneurial roles (financial literacy, risk tolerance and competency) in the financial performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan and the mediating effects of locus of control and spiritual and emotional quotients.
Design/methodology/approach
The study data was collected from 541 SMEs in Pakistan (the target population) through a survey and analysed with partial least squares structural equation modelling.
Findings
The findings revealed that the key entrepreneurial characteristics were positively related to locus of control and spiritual quotient and elevated the financial performance in entrepreneurship. It was also reported that locus of control and spiritual quotient mediated between key entrepreneurial characteristics and financial performance. In this regard, emotional quotient strengthened the existing relationships between key characteristics, locus of control and spiritual quotient.
Practical implications
This study highlighted sustainable implications for SMEs to develop an effective mechanism and improve financial performance through guidelines that emphasized entrepreneurial characteristics and behaviours towards positive entrepreneurial ventures. This study also enabled policymakers to design policies that catalysed SME performance in Pakistan.
Originality/value
This study contributed a novel concept of key entrepreneurial characteristics by introducing a characteristics tool kit. Consequently, information on a unique framework (by integrating entrepreneurial characteristics and financial performance) and literature on spiritual quotient and locus of control in entrepreneurship were enriched. Contributions to the regulatory focus theory and four-phase Rubicon model in the study context were also made.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore the practices of financial autonomy and control the emerging issue of agencification in the higher education sector.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the practices of financial autonomy and control the emerging issue of agencification in the higher education sector.
Design/methodology/approach
The practices are investigated using case studies from seven semi-autonomous state universities in Indonesia. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 17 respondents including university officials, policymakers, and experts. The interview results were analysed using an inductive-deductive approach.
Findings
This research highlights an unstable balance between financial autonomy and control practices in the universities. Autonomy supports agencification mainly by simplifying financial procedures and control is seen by university managers to be overemphasised compared to in the other state universities. Despite successes in introducing a business-like atmosphere within bureaucratic universities, questions about balancing financial autonomy and control remain.
Research limitations/implications
The small number of cases implies limited generalisability. The two characteristics used, size and parent ministries do not represent all university variabilities.
Practical implications
Agencification has become a key reform practice for state universities. Rather than using a “one size fits all” approach, the government needs a repertoire of models for these institutions.
Originality/value
This study provides empirical evidence of agencification in the higher education sector with an emphasis on the financial dimension of autonomy and control in a developing country setting.
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The accounting profession’s strong focus on internal control and fraudulent financial reporting has led to new standards relating to internal control and fraudulent financial…
Abstract
The accounting profession’s strong focus on internal control and fraudulent financial reporting has led to new standards relating to internal control and fraudulent financial reporting. The control environment and specifically, management integrity, is an important component. The purpose of this article is to determine if the control environment forces ‐ the tone at the top, codes of conduct, and short‐term targets ‐ are related to financial reporting decisions. The results are based on a survey mailed to 400 CPAs who prepare financial reports. The findings indicate there is some reason for concern about fraudulent financial reporting. In addition, a tone at the top in an organization that fosters ethical decisions is of overriding importance to reliable financial reporting. Codes of conduct and pressure for short‐term performance, alone, had no significant effect on financial reporting decisions. The findings emphasize the importance of learning about an organization’s tone at the top during an audit.
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This study examines the effects of variables such as financial literacy and locus of control on the financial behavior of individual investors. Additionally, this article aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the effects of variables such as financial literacy and locus of control on the financial behavior of individual investors. Additionally, this article aims to reveal the moderator effect of financial literacy on locus of control and financial behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
Responses were collected from a questionnaire given to a convenience sample of 1,347 individual investors. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), which reveals the factor structure of the scale, was used at the beginning of the study, and then confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to confirm this new factor structure. Hypothetical relationships were examined using structural equation modeling.
Findings
The study provides statistical support for the validity and reliability of the scales. The statistical results of the analysis reveal that financial literacy and locus of control have a positive effect on financial behavior. Moreover, the authors prove that financial literacy changes the relationship between internal locus of control and financial behavior. In conclusion, financial literacy plays a significant role as a moderator variable that interacts with locus of control.
Originality/value
The findings of the research are important in demonstrating empirical evidence for the theoretical correlations. In support of the current literature, this study has confirmed the positive effects of internal locus of control and financial literacy on the financial behavior of individual investors. In addition, it has been determined that the relationship between an individual's financial behavior and internal locus of control varies according to their level of financial literacy.
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Oyekunle Oyelakin and Aliyu Abdullahi
The study assesses the efficacy of employee training and internal control system on financial management of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in Abuja.
Abstract
Purpose
The study assesses the efficacy of employee training and internal control system on financial management of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in Abuja.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted a quantitative approach using a structured questionnaire to sample respondents selected through stratified proportionate sampling, data were collected from managers/owners of SMEs in Abuja.
Findings
The result shows that employee training, control environment, information and communication and risk assessment have a significant and positive effect on financial management of SMEs. Control activities have a positive and insignificant effect on financial management of SMEs while monitoring activities has a negative and significant effect on financial management of SMEs.
Practical implications
The findings of this study will assist government and owner/managers to identify strategies relevant to SMEs financial management. More importantly, the empirical shreds of evidence revealed that employee training needs to be employed by SMEs' owners/managers to integrate, build, modify and reconfigure their internal control system towards achieving effective financial management.
Originality/value
Currently, no study has been found in the literature, which had been conducted on the relationships between these predictors (employee training and internal control system) on SMEs financial management. Similarly, no study has been conducted on the effects of an internal control system using the five dimensions of committee of sponsoring organization (COSO) altogether on financial management based on the currently available literature. Precisely, the study is designed to fill the aforementioned gaps.
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David Ray, John Gattorna and Mike Allen
Preface The functions of business divide into several areas and the general focus of this book is on one of the most important although least understood of these—DISTRIBUTION. The…
Abstract
Preface The functions of business divide into several areas and the general focus of this book is on one of the most important although least understood of these—DISTRIBUTION. The particular focus is on reviewing current practice in distribution costing and on attempting to push the frontiers back a little by suggesting some new approaches to overcome previously defined shortcomings.
The purpose of this study is to empirically examine whether two major stakeholder groups – customers and employees – consider third party-reviewed corporate social responsibility…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to empirically examine whether two major stakeholder groups – customers and employees – consider third party-reviewed corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports and assurance on the quality of internal controls as value determinant in their decisions, and how their decisions influence financial performance through the halo effect of these reports.
Design/methodology/approach
Using Compustat North America and Global Reporting Initiative data, the authors used first-order autoregressive models over the period from 2006 to 2012.
Findings
The results indicate that the impacts of customers and employees on financial performance are influenced by third party-reviewed CSR reports and effective internal control. Moreover, it is found that the third party-reviewed CSR reports and effective internal control enable the persistence of financial performance.
Social implications
The findings have implications for stakeholders in terms of third party-reviewed CSR reports and effective internal control. The findings are important due to the influence that these stakeholders (customers and employees) have on the financial performance of firms and the impact that CSR actions can have on society as a whole.
Originality/value
To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that contributes to the literature by demonstrating that information about third party-reviewed CSR reports and internal control reviews may influence the perceptions of firms by two primary stakeholders – customers and employees.
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