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For example; The owner generally purchases required business materials and other properties.
Monitor: A company must monitor its system of internal controls for ongoing viability. Internal
controls have become a key business function for every U.S. company since the accounting scandals
of the early 2000s. For example, a business may give high-level personnel the ability to override
internal controls for operational efficiency reasons. Internal control helps to increase the accuracy
and reliability of financial statements and books of accounts. For ensuring proper maintenance of
accounts, efficient and honest personnel are to be appointed and trained. Types of information
system Executive Information System (EIS): a computer based system for total business modelling.
They include: using a safe to hold cash and valuable documents using secure entry systems to
buildings or areas of a building dual custody of valuable assets, so that two people are needed to
obtain access to certain assets periodic inventory checks hiring security guards and using closed
circuit TV cameras. For example, The documents used for recording transactions of accounts are
examined for the re-audit purpose of the merchandise inventory of a business organization. These
positions clearly outline the tasks that any individual is authorized and depended upon to perform.
Internal control is designed and implemented to address identified business risks that threaten the
achievement of any of these objectives. Internal control is therefore also concerned with the
achievement of performance objectives, such as profitability. It is aimed at assisting members of the
firm in discharging their responsibilities in an effective manner. The quality of informationsystems is
a key factor in this aspect of internal control. To make an internal control system effective and
ensured, efficient and trustworthy employees are required to be appointed. The speed of reaction is
an important feature of almost all control systems. Any change in the risk profile or environment of
the organisation will necessitate a change in the system and a failure or slowness to respond may
increase the vulnerability to internal or external trauma. This research was conducted in Pekanbaru
City, Riau. In contrast, internal audit aims at detection of fraud. Information flows to relevant levels
of management capable and empowered to act on the information are essential in internal control
systems. Any failure, frustration, distortion or obfuscation of information flows can compromise the
system. SOX404Lite includes our Sarbanes Oxley Act compliance analysis tools and checklists.
Narrative Memoranda A narrative memorandum consists of written comments concerning the
auditor’s consideration of the ICS. MS. EDIT NEMETH HEAD OF CENTRAL
HARMONISATION UNIT FOR PUBLIC INTERNAL CONTROL, HUNGARY PEM-PAL IA
COP IA MANUAL WORKING SESSION, MOLDOVA. HISTORY. The establishment of the new
Public Internal Financial Control System (PIFC). These cookies ensure basic functionalities and
security features of the website, anonymously. Internal controls and Turnbull The Turnbull committee
was established after the publication of the1998 Combined Code in the UK to provide advice to
listed companies onhow to implement the internal control principles of the code. But to what extent
should an auditor depend solely on the internal check-in system as a matter of his discretion.
Introduction. Define internal control Who is responsible for control. Therefore, we have to conclude
the need for the implementation of risk based internal control systems, which take in consideration
the new internal control pattern, when commercial transactions are to be made electronically.
Havingestablished the objectives, the risks involved in achieving thoseobjectives should be identified
and assessed, and this assessment shouldform the basis for deciding how the risks should be
managed. Preventative control activities aim to deter errors or fraud from happening in the first place
and include thorough documentation and authorization practices. The fourth chapter presents the
case company KONE, its main numbers and history.
ING, a Dutch bank, purchased Barings Bank in 1995 for the nominal sum of A?1 and assumed all of
Barings' liabilities. On the contrary, in internal audit system work is checked after it is performed.
One way is as follows: Information processing controls General controls Application controls Proper
authorization Documents and records Independent checks Segregation of duties Physical controls
Performance reviews Monitoring Monitoring is the process that assesses the quality of the internal
control structure’s performance over time. In an audit of a small entity where the primarily
substantive approach predominates, a single memorandum may suffice to document the
understanding of all the components. These are commonly used interchangeably, but they hold
different meanings. Internal control deficiencies have long been recognized as the main cause of
accounting scandals and captured more and more attention both from regulators and the
stakeholders. For example, Every cash disbursement must have prior approval of the higher
authority. While maintaining accounts of transactions, the accountant is to preserve the following
four documents: Purchase requisition: The order placed by the department’s officers concerned to the
purchasing department for purchasing a certain quantity of goods is called purchase requisition. First,
clarity of purpose and roles can set the stage for successful internal controls. The APC provided a list
of eight internalcontrols, as shown below. Limitations of Internal Controls No matter how well
internal controls are designed, they can only provide reasonable assurance that objectives have been
achieved. The supplier sends goods to the receiving department, where goods received are checked
against the purchase order and send an invoice to the accounting department. Employees and officers
discharge their assigned responsibilities to increase efficiency in the execution of work. For example,
in the system for purchases and purchase accounting, the same individual should not have
responsibility for: making a purchase making the payment, and recording the purchase and the
payment in the accounts. Questionnaires Flowcharts Decision Tables Narrative Memoranda
Questionnaires A questionnaire consists of questions about ICS policies and procedures that the
auditor considers necessary to prevent material misstatements in the financial statements. Moral
values, managerial skills, employee honesty, managerial direction, etc., are included in the controlling
environment. The accuracy of accounting records A business organization should maintain a
complete and correct accounting record. This involves keeping up-to-date with changes in financial
regulations and implementing measures to ensure compliance. Thirdly, sound internal control systems
include procedures for reporting immediately to appropriate levels of management any significant
control failings or weaknesses that are identified, together with details of corrective action being
undertaken. Internal Control Objectives. 1. Reliability of financial reporting. Certain qualities are
needed to make an internal check system more effective and efficient. The internal control system is
introduced to avoid errors and frauds and for systematic control of business activities. Physical
controls Physical controls are measures and procedures to protect physicalassets against theft or
unauthorised access and use. Based: on the International Professional Practices Framework.
Protection of assets A business organization protects its assets in the following ways: Segregating the
duties of the employees Segregation of the duties of the employees means that each employee is
assigned specific tasks. Specific training about controlsshould help to increase employee awareness
and understanding of therisks of failing to apply them properly. 8 Information flows for management
To enable management to identify and manage risks and monitorinternal controls within an
organisation, they need adequate informationflows from within the business. He previously held
senior editorial roles at Investopedia and Kapitall Wire and holds a MA in Economics from The New
School for Social Research and Doctor of Philosophy in English literature from NYU. By the
supervisors to ensure that the employees follow the policies of the business. Information regarding
the costs and benefits of internal controlswill enable the board to ensure that resources are not
wasted onineffective, or unnecessary controls. These arethe detailed internal controls which are
embedded within the operationsof the company.
This should not be confused with management intervention, which represents actions to depart from
prescribed policies and procedures for legitimate purposes. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, enacted
in the wake of the accounting scandals in the early 2000s, seeks to protect investors from fraudulent
accounting activities and improve the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures. In order to
make an assessment ofrisks, objectives for the organisation must be established. Recommendations
for E-RN Trading Business implements policies to limit and monitor employee actions so as not to
deviate, comply with existing regulations and policies, and improve employee performance, conducts
an analysis beforehand and pays attention to receivables, regularly holds meetings after a problem is
discovered, and conducts unannounced checks once a week so that fraud does not occur. Types of
Internal Control Detective: Designed to detect errors or irregularities that may have occurred. The
elements of an effective control system recommended by COSO in 1992 are covered later in this
chapter. Our internal control templates are used by entities for both hard and soft compliance. The
test results show that the control environment, risk assessment, and supervision and monitoring have
not been effective in the E-RN Trading Business, but control activities and information and
communication have been running effectively in the E-RN Trading Business. Test your
understanding 1 Why is it important for the board to have accurate information for the management
of internal controls ? 10 Chapter summary Test your understanding answers Test your understanding
1 The board have to meet their corporate governance responsibility toensure that an effective internal
control system exists within theorganisation. Principle of Review The work should be so arranged
that work done by one employee should be promptly checked by another independent employee.
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AlCPA) says; the plan of organization and all of
the coordinate methods and measures adopted within a business safeguard its assets, check the
accuracy and reliability of its accounting data, promote operational efficiency and encourage
adherence to preserved managerial policies. If the facts are distorted, the direction provided maybe
inappropriate. Separation of duties, a key part of this process, ensures that no single individual is in a
position to authorize, record, and be in the custody of a financial transaction and the resulting asset.
Physical controls Physical controls are measures and procedures to protect physicalassets against
theft or unauthorised access and use. In this modern world, various devices can be used to do
various function like use of time record machine. Some limitations are inherent in all internal control
systems. These include: Judgment Breakdowns Management Override Collusion Costs versus
Benefits Unusual Transactions Judgment The effectiveness of controls will be limited by decisions
made with the human judgment under pressure to conduct business based on the information at
hand. Since he signs all the cheques, he can easily understand what commodities, assets, and services
he is signing for. The UK Corporate Governance Code (2010) contains the statement that: 'The
directors should, at least annually, conduct areview of the effectiveness of the group's system of
internal controland should report to shareholders that they have done so. Internal Controls. Sarbanes-
Oxley Act of 2002 Increased federal scrutiny Recent discovery of governmental weaknesses.
Physical Controls: A business must implement security measures to protect its assets, including cash,
inventory, and equipment. Internal Control implies the whole system of control employed by the
management in order to carry on the business of the enterprise in an orderly and efficient way by
having an automatic check and balance overall the transactions. Out of these, the cookies that are
categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic
functionalities of the website. Preventative control activities aim to deter errors or fraud from
happening in the first place and include thorough documentation and authorization practices. For
example, in a manufacturing system of a business enterprise, internal control may be established to
ensure the adherence to management policy as to quality (quality control), safeguarding assets
(control over wastages, ABC control over raw materials), prevention of errors ( monitoring
production methods, maintenance program for machines), prevention of frauds (security system) and
timely supply of reliable management information (MIS). MS. EDIT NEMETH HEAD OF
CENTRAL HARMONISATION UNIT FOR PUBLIC INTERNAL CONTROL, HUNGARY PEM-
PAL IA COP IA MANUAL WORKING SESSION, MOLDOVA. HISTORY. The establishment of
the new Public Internal Financial Control System (PIFC). These cookies will be stored in your
browser only with your consent. This includes separating authorization, custody, and record-keeping
roles to prevent fraud and errors. One way is as follows: Information processing controls General
controls Application controls Proper authorization Documents and records Independent checks
Segregation of duties Physical controls Performance reviews Monitoring Monitoring is the process
that assesses the quality of the internal control structure’s performance over time. Will Kenton is an
expert on the economy and investing laws and regulations.
Separation of Duties: Distributing responsibilities among different people reduces the risk of error or
inappropriate actions. Control activities have various objectives and are applied at various
organizational and functional levels. In the 20th century, auditors' reporting practices and testing
methods were standardized. Elements of internal control include: (1) Facilitate the effective and
efficient operation of the company enabling it to respond to any significant risks which stand in the
way of the company achieving its objectives. Forecast and historical data are both required, although
historicaldata is not needed as immediately as it is for operational decisions.Information is largely
objective and quantitative but the greaterexperience of middle managers making tactical decisions
makes this lessimportant than for operational information. The test results show that the control
environment, risk assessment, and supervision and monitoring have not been effective in the E-RN
Trading Business, but control activities and information and communication have been running
effectively in the E-RN Trading Business. These positions clearly outline the tasks that any
individual is authorized and depended upon to perform. Therefore it is an essential management and
technical requirement for any efficient and effective Payment transaction activities over the internet.
Ensuring true and reliable operating data and financial statements. Provide disclosures on internal
controls in annual reports and accounts. The control environment is set by the tone of management,
itsphilosophy and management style, the way in which authority isdelegated, the way in which staff
are organised and developed, and thecommitment of the board of directors. An efficient system of
internal checks can indeed make an auditor’s work easy and convenient. Roles in risk management
While the syllabus heading does state 'executive' roles in risk management, the COSO guidelines
also note that 'everyone in an organisation has responsibility for internal control', hence the slightly
wider explanation provided here. The Copedia advanced internal control tools are based on the 2013
framework. The absence of an evaluation and supervision system hampers the objectives of a
business organization to a great extent. Leeson traded to cover losses that he claims started when one
ofhis colleagues bought contracts when she should have sold them, costingBarings A?20,000.
Information flows to relevant levels of management capable and empowered to act on the
information are essential in internal control systems. Any failure, frustration, distortion or
obfuscation of information flows can compromise the system. Companies should realize that it’s
both safer as well as Want to read all 4 pages. Control environment Risk assessment Information
systems Control procedures Monitoring. They include: using a safe to hold cash and valuable
documents using secure entry systems to buildings or areas of a building dual custody of valuable
assets, so that two people are needed to obtain access to certain assets periodic inventory checks
hiring security guards and using closed circuit TV cameras. Principle of Skepticism Too much
confidence should not be pinned on one individual. For example, Every cash disbursement must
have prior approval of the higher authority. Breakdowns Even well-designed internal controls can
break down. Documenting the Understanding of Internal Control Structure Components
Documenting the understanding of the internal control structure components is required in all audits.
So, in business too, control have a great role to play in ensuring best possible use of resources and
escalate profits. For example, there is no scope for stealing cash by a cash-receiving employee where
cash receipts accounts. It is to be kept in mind, a business organization, be it’s small or large, can
enjoy the benefits of adopting an internal control system. Questionnaires Flowcharts Decision Tables
Narrative Memoranda Questionnaires A questionnaire consists of questions about ICS policies and
procedures that the auditor considers necessary to prevent material misstatements in the financial
statements. You can also use the spreadsheets to evaluate compliance with your internal control
system for reporting to governing authorities. The employees are to realize what is expected of them
and how their responsibilities are related to the activities of others.
This research was conducted in Pekanbaru City, Riau. The purchasing department sends a purchase
order to the supplier, with copies going to the receiving and accounting departments. A literature
review of internal control deficiencies Abstract: Enterprise internal control system is an important
component of the company administration. Second, facilitating the understanding of and
commitment to steps to take can help employees do their job most effectively. An internal control
review can highlight weaknesses in the internal control structure or expose processes that could be
strengthened to maximize efficiency. Since he signs all the cheques, he can easily understand what
commodities, assets, and services he is signing for. The objectives of internal control relate to
assurance not only about reliable financial reporting and compliance, but also with regard to the
effectiveness and efficiency of operations. All employees have some responsibility for monitoring
and maintaining internal controls. Moreover, an employee feels proud if he is assigned a particular
job and tries to complete the job using the best of his skill. Work done by the Committee of
Sponsoring Organisations (COSO) in 1992 was referred to within this report. There are resource
constraints in provision of internal control systems, limiting their effectiveness. Limitations of
Internal Controls No matter how well internal controls are designed, they can only provide
reasonable assurance that objectives have been achieved. This reduces the risk of fraud and may also
reduce the risk of error. Under this policy, the employee concerned can easily understand that on the
placement of somebody else in his place, his dishonesty will be detected if it is done. These cookies
ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. For example, a
business may give high-level personnel the ability to override internal controls for operational
efficiency reasons. Questionnaires Flowcharts Decision Tables Narrative Memoranda Questionnaires
A questionnaire consists of questions about ICS policies and procedures that the auditor considers
necessary to prevent material misstatements in the financial statements. Assigning specific duties to
each employee The employee assigned with a specific duty is held responsible for his assigned
activities. An organization should set up such provision, so that work can be checked by the another
staff. An officer. Authorization of invoices, verification of expenses, limiting physical access to
equipment, inventory, cash, and other assets are examples of preventative internal controls. Control
environment Risk assessment Information systems Control procedures Monitoring. Provide
disclosures on internal controls in annual reports and accounts. However, they are normally listed in
adifferent order to make them memorable, as the detailed explanationbelow shows. Having a
common ground to stand on and a greater understanding of what each employee is expected to do is
key to establishing red flags for fraud. According to the specific characteristics of the Internet, the
path taken by a transaction is not easily predictable nor is it possible to assure the security of all
systems that participate in an electronic commercial transaction performance. Errors may also result
from new technology and the complexity of computerized information systems. Management
Override High-level personnel may be able to override prescribed policies and procedures for
personal gain or advantage. Internal controls have become a key business function for every U.S.
company since the accounting scandals of the early 2000s. For example, in the system for purchases
and purchase accounting, the same individual should not have responsibility for: making a purchase
making the payment, and recording the purchase and the payment in the accounts. Management
Information System (MIS): a system to convert data from internal and external sources into
information, and to communicate that information in an appropriate form to managers at all levels
and in all areas of the business to enable them to make timely and effective decisions. The overall
purpose of this review is to identify gaps that this study will fill and contribute in terms of
approaches or strategies to better internal control in a Business Enterprise.

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