ABSTRACT
The study sought to determine the effect of internal control system on financial performance of manufacturing firms in Tuyil pharmaceutical ltd. To achieve the objective of this study, the study used hypothesis testing research design. The study tested the following hypotheses: H1: Internal Controls and Financial Performance are positively related; H2: Internal Controls have a significant impact on Financial Performance. The population chosen for this study was 65 working staff of the Tuyil ltd. The study selected a sample of 20 working staff from a target population of 65 working staff. The sample was drawn using stratified random sampling technique. The study relied on both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires while the secondary data was gathered from financial statements based on availability and accessibility of data.
The findings revealed that Tuyil pharmaceutical ltd had a control environment as one of the functionality of internal controls of the organization that greatly impacts on the financial performance of the firm. It was also established that the management had put in place mechanisms for mitigation of critical risks that may result from fraud. The study examined the effect of control activities on the financial performance of Tuyil pharmaceutical ltd. The results also revealed that the staffs were trained to implement the accounting and financial management systems (M=3.24, S.D=1.334), the security system identified and safeguarded organizational assets (M=4.20, S.D =1.334). The statistical results from the regression analysis show that there is a positive relationship between internal control and financial performance of Tuyil pharmaceutical ltd. The independent variables (Control Environment, Risk Assessment, Control Activities, Information and Communication and monitoring) contributed to 75.7% of the variation in financial performance as explained by adjusted R2 of 0.75.7% which shows that the model is a good prediction.
It was concluded that manufacturing firms that had invested on effective internal control systems had more improved financial performance as compared to those manufacturing firms that had a weak internal control system. Most large scales manufacturing firms that fully invested in strong internal control systems. The study further recommends that the governing body, possibly supported by the audit committee, should ensure that the internal control system is periodically monitored and evaluated. The limitation of this study is that the study was focused on Tuyil pharmaceutical ltd only while we have more than 500 manufacturing firms in Nigeria, therefore these findings may not be used for generalizations on all manufacturing firms in Nigeria. It is therefore important for a study to be conducted using wider scope and coverage then, the findings can be compared and conclusions drawn.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Internal control as “Comprising the plan of an organization and all the co-ordinate methods and measures adopted within a business to safeguard its assets, check the accuracy and reliability of its accounting data, prorate operational efficiency and adherence to prescribed managerial policies.” The definition of internal control is divided into financial internal control and non-financial (administrative) internal control.Financial internal control pertains to financial activities and may be exemplified by controls over company‟s cash receipts and payments financing operations and company‟s management of receipts and payments.Non-financial internal control on the other hand deals with activities that are indirectly financial in nature i.e. controls over company‟s personnel section and its operations, fixed assets controls and even controls over laid down procedures (Reid and Ashelby, 2002).
A sound internal control system helps an organization to prevent frauds, errors and minimize wastage.Custody of assets is strengthened; it provides assurance to the management on the dependability of accounting data eliminates unnecessary suspicion and helps in maintenance of adequate and reliable accounting records.This study therefore attempts to establish the effectiveness of internal control system in Tuyil pharmaceutical ltd (Amudo and Inanga, 2009).
Mawanda (2008), states that “there is a general perception that institution and enforcement of proper internal control systemswill always lead to improved financial performance”. It is also a general belief that properly instituted systems of internal control improve the reporting process and also give rise to reliable reports which enhances the accountability function of management of an entity. Preparing reliable financial information is a key responsibility of the management of every public company. The ability to effectively manage the firm‟s business requires access to timely and accurate information.
Moreover, investors must be able to place confidence in a firm‟s financial reports if the firm wants to raise capital in the public securities markets. Management‟s ability to fulfill its financial reporting responsibilities depends in part on the design and effectiveness of the processes and safeguards it has put in place over accounting and financial reporting. Without such controls, it would be extremely difficult for most business organizations especially those with numerous locations, operations, and processes to prepare timely and reliable financial reports for management, investors, lenders, and other users. While no practical control system can absolutely assure that financial reports will never contain material errors or misstatements, an effective system of internal control over financial reporting can substantially reduce the risk of such misstatements and inaccuracies in a company‟s financial statements (Kaplan, 2008; Cunningham, 2004; INTOSAI, 2004).