AN APPRAISAL OF INTERNAL CONTROL SYSTEM ON LARGE FIRM

ABSTRACT

This project invested the appraisal of internal control system in large firms. The study was aimed at determining the strength and weakness of internal control system in public limited liability companies and how the existing control has helped the management in the realization of the organizational objective. In this project the research found out whether

1.   There is regular cash survey to ensure that amount voted into impurest in judiciously used.

2.   Majority of the employees are paid through banks and all authorized deductions are remitted to their appropriate authorities.

3.   Stocktaking is usually carryout by a team consisting of store and accounting staff preparation of pay roll and payment of salaries are not usually done by some person. Data for research was collected from both primary and secondary. Primary data was conducted mainly through the use of questionnaires supplemented by oral interview, which was conducted among the staff of the company. Data was analyzed using the chi-square and percentage method of analysis. A test was carried out which showed that system of internal control in the company is effective.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

1.1 Internal control has attained greatest significance in large-scale business organizations. It is of great assistance to both the management and auditors of such organization because it enables them to carry on the business in an orderly and efficient manner. It safeguard its assets and secure the accuracy and reliability of records. The primary aim of an organization that is profit oriented is to operate the business in the most efficient way. That is to maximize profit at a minimum cost. This can be made possible by establishing strong internal control which acts as regulator of an organization. The internal control can be compared to a persons nervous system. It embraces the entire organization internal control as the nervous system has five component that help it to coordinate the activities of the organization. They are:

1.   The control environment

2.   Risk assessment

3.   The (accounting) information and communication system

4.   Control activities and

5.   Monitoring.

1.1  THE CONTROL ENVIRONMENT

The control environment set the tone an organization by influencing the control consciousness of the people. It may be viewed as the foundation for the other components of internal control. Control environment factors include integrity and ethical values; commitment to competence board of directors or audit committee, managements philosophy and operating style organizational structure; assignment of authority and responsibility to human resource politices and practices.

2. RISK ASSESSMENT

The second component of internal control is risk assessment. Management should carefully identify and analyze the factors that affect the risk that the organizations objectives will not be achieved and then attempt to manage that risk. Managements risk assessment involves consideration of those factors that effects all of the organizations objective.

3. The accounting information and communication system information is needed at all levels of an organization to assist the management in meeting the organizations objective of major concern to the auditors is the accounting information system, and the way in which responsibilities for internal control over financial reporting are communicated throughout the organization. Accounting information system should include a chart of accounts and a manual of accounting policies and procedure as aids for communicating policies.

4. CONTROL ACTIVITIES

Control activities are policies and procedures that help to ensure that management’s directives are carried out.

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