Internal control systems, working capital management and financial performance of supermarkets

The purpose of this paper is to examine the contribution made by the internal control systems and working capital management on financial performance of supermarkets. This study is cross-sectional and correlational, and it uses firm-level data that were collected by means of a questionnaire survey from a sample of 110 supermarkets in Uganda. Results suggest that working capital management is a significant predictor of financial performance. Contrary to previous thinking internal control systems do not significantly predict financial performance. Therefore, once organizations have appropriate working capital management, they are also likely to have adequate internal control systems that enhance financial performance. This study focuses on supermarkets in Uganda, and it is possible that these results are only applicable to the supermarkets. More research is therefore needed to further understand the contribution of the internal control systems and working capital management on financial performance in other sectors. The results are important for internal control and working capital policy development, for example, in terms of prescribing the internal control systems and working capital requirements for the organizations to enhance financial performance. Internal control systems and working capital management have apparently hitherto been the subject of limited consideration by most supermarkets in Uganda. Nevertheless, this study, in possibly the most thorough treatment so far, highlights the areas requiring improvement to enhance financial performance

The influence of tone at the top management level and internal audit quality on the effectiveness of risk management practices in the financial services sector

The purpose of this study is to examine the contribution made by the tone at the top management level and internal audit quality on the effectiveness of risk management practices (RMPs) in the financial services sector. This study is cross-sectional and correlational, and it uses firm-level data that were collected by means of a questionnaire survey from a sample of 62 financial services firms in Uganda. Results suggest that the tone at the top management level and internal audit quality are both significant predictors of effective RMPs. However, the predictive potential of tone at the top management level towards effective RMPs reduces when internal audit quality is present. These results support the idea that in terms of agency theory, top management should oversee and review the organization’s risks as a way of spearheading effective RMPs. Similarly, internal auditors should sufficiently and appropriately review and coordinate risk management efforts in the organization, since high-quality internal audits lead to effective RMPs. Top managers of financial services firms should encourage periodic reviews of the appropriateness and effectiveness of risk management systems and controls. At the same time, regulators should ensure that top managers of financial services firms have adequate risk management expertise, with no conflict of interest and apply mechanisms that detect significant risks in time. The study contributes to the strategic risk management position by showing that the tone at the top management level and internal audit quality sets pace for an organization culture towards effective RMPs