THE ROLE OF INTERNAL CONTROL MEASURES IN THE PREVENTION OF FRAUD AND OPERATIONS ERROR IN GHANAIAN FIRMS
CHAPTER 1----
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The aim of every organization whether private or public is to have a successful operation which leads to the achievement of corporate aims of objectives. This requires that the organization's assets and resources are effectively managed. Therefore the need to protect the firm’s assets and the adoption of established procedures and policies for successful operations is imperative. Internal controls consist of all procedures and methods the firm applies to protect its assets and conduct a successful operation Emma Zhang (2016). The essence is to prevent fraud and losses arising out of fraudulent activities. Internal control detects deviations in financial records through the adoption of internal control measures. Such as establishing a system of checks and balances, and adopting an authorization procedure. The essence of authorization is to verify the validity of transactions. Segregation of duties to provide for checks and balances and the detection of errors in the operation of the firm and taking corrective measures. The essence is for operational efficiency and effective communication. Internal control measure also involves the maintenance of effective human resources through the establishment of a clear line of responsibility and authority. Other internal control measures include the physical protection of the firm’s assets, processes and data, Documentation and record management for the preservation of accurate records and the monitoring of the firm's operations. The study seeks to appraise the role of internal control measures in the prevention of fraud and operation errors in Ghanaian firms.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The increasing level of fraud and inefficient operation is associated with a lack of good internal control measures. Achieving success in business cannot be disassociated with sound internal control policies as many firms conduct their business without adhering to sound management principles as internal control measures. Consequently, operations are not properly segmented to establish a clear line of responsibility and authority which leads to an inefficient workforce, no proper documentation and record keeping leading to errors in record keeping and fraudulent activities. Also, many firms do not take adequate measures to protect their assets, processes and information and lack good monitoring and evaluation method. The study seeks to investigate the role of internal control measures in the prevention of fraud and operation errors in Ghanaian firms.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main study objective is to investigate the role of internal control measures in the prevention of fraud and operation errors in Ghanaian firms; while the specific objectives include:
1 To appraise the concept of internal control and internal control measures.
2 To determine the role of internal control measures in the prevention of fraud and operation errors.
3 To determine the role of internal control measures in the prevention of fraud and operation errors in Ghanaian firms.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1 What is the internal control and internal control measures?
2 What is the role of internal control measures in the prevention of fraud and operation errors?
3 What is the role of internal control measures in the prevention of fraud and operation errors in Ghanaian firms?
1.4 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS
The statement of the hypothesis of the study is stated in null
Ho The level of fraud and operation error in Ghanian firms is low
Ho The internal control measures in Ghanian firms are ineffective
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study seeks to provide an evaluative appraisal of internal control and internal control measures with the view of determining their applicability in Ghanaian firms.
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study focuses on the investigation of the role of internal control measures in the prevention of fraud and operation errors in Ghanaian firms.
1.6 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The study was confronted with logistic and geographical constraints
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
INTERNAL CONTROL DEFINED
Internal controls consist of all procedures and methods which the firm applies to protect its assets and conduct a successful operation. The essence is to prevent fraud and losses arising out of fraudulent activities.
FRAUD DEFINED
The falsification and misrepresentation of the financial records of the firm
OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DEFINED
Operations management is the management of business activities to create high efficiency. It is concerned with converting materials and labour into goods and services as efficiently as possible to maximize the profit of an organization.
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