Skip to main content
Log in

Valuation of the internal audit mechanisms in the decision support department of the local government organizations using mathematical programming

  • S.I.: BALCOR-2017
  • Published:
Annals of Operations Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The importance of internal audit and its impact on the organizations’ effectiveness raised public interest. This study focuses on the internal control mechanisms in the local government organizations (LGO). Specifically, the level of implementation of internal corporate control mechanisms in the Decision Support Department (DSD) of the LGOs is explored. On the basis of data analysis and processing of the results of the study, in which 93 civil servants took part, it is evident that the degree of the added value of internal audit in public organizations depends on the degree of its independency. Also, findings suggest that it is inversely proportional to the degree of compliance with procedures of the DSD. The analysis is extended by incorporating mathematical programming techniques for subset variable selection in order to minimize error values. Decision variables of the proposed models indicate which of the variables will be included in the regression model, to increase adjusted R2.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdelaziz, F. B., Amer, M., & El-Baz, H. (2014). An Epsilon constraint method for selecting Indicators for use in Neural Networks for stock market forecasting. INFOR: Information Systems and Operational Research, 52(3), 116–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abdolmohammadi, M. J., DeSimone, S. M., Hsieh, T. S., & Wang, Z. (2017). Factors associated with internal audit function involvement with XBRL implementation in public companies: An international study. International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, 25, 45–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad, N., Othman, R., Othman, R., & Jusoff, K. (2009). The effectiveness of internal audit in Malaysian public sector. Journal of Modern Accounting and Auditing, 5(9), 53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aikins, S. (2011). An examination of government internal audits’ role in improving financial performance. Public Finance and Management, 11(4), 306–337.

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Akra, M., Abdel-Qader, W., & Billah, M. (2016). Internal auditing in the Middle East and North Africa: A literature review. Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, 26, 13–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alktani, S., & Ghareeb, A. (2014). Evaluation of the quality of the internal auditing position in the public sector in Saudi Arabia: An applied study. Global Review of Accounting and Finance, 5(1), 93–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alqudah, H., Amran, N., & Hassan, H. (2019). Factors affecting the internal auditors’ effectiveness in the Jordanian public sector: The moderating effect of task complexity. EuroMed Journal of Business, 14(3), 251–273.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alzeban, A., & Gwilliam, D. (2014). Factors affecting the internal audit effectiveness: A survey of the Saudi public sector. Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, 23(2), 74–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Asare, T. (2009). Internal auditing in the public sector: Promoting good governance and performance improvement. International Journal on Governmental Financial Management, 9(1), 15–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Asiedu, K. F., & Deffor, E. W. (2017). Fighting corruption by means of effective internal audit function: Evidence from the Ghanaian public sector. International Journal of Auditing, 21(1), 82–99.

    Google Scholar 

  • Asmah, A., Atuilik, W., & Ofori, D. (2019). Antecedents and consequences of staff related fraud in the Ghanaian banking industry. Journal of Financial Crime, 27(1), 188–201.

    Google Scholar 

  • Badara, M. A. S. (2013). Impact of the effective internal control system on the internal audit effectiveness at local government level. Journal of Social and Development Sciences, 4(1), 16–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baltaci, M., & Yilmaz, S. (2006). Keeping an eye on Subnational Governments: Internal control and audit at local levels. Washington, DC: World Bank Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bananuka, J., Nkundabanyanga, S. K., Nalukenge, I., & Kaawaase, T. (2018). Internal audit function, audit committee effectiveness and accountability in the Ugandan statutory corporations. Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, 16(1), 138–157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyne, G. A. (2001). Planning, performance and public services. Public Administration, 79(1), 73–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang, Y. T., Chen, H., Cheng, R. K., & Chi, W. (2019). The impact of internal audit attributes on the effectiveness of internal control over operations and compliance. Journal of Contemporary Accounting & Economics, 15(1), 1–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christopher, J., Sarens, G., & Leung, P. (2009). A critical analysis of the independence of the internal audit function: Evidence from Australia. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 22(2), 200–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Danescu, T., Prozan, M., & Prozan, R. D. (2015). The valances of the internal audit in relationship with the internal control–corporate governance. Procedia Economics and Finance, 26, 960–966.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies, M. (2001). The changing face of internal audit in local government. Journal of Finance and Management in Public Services, 1(1), 77–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dellai, H., & Omri, M. A. B. (2016). Factors affecting the internal audit effectiveness in Tunisian organizations. Research Journal of Finance and Accounting, 7(16), 208–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Onza, G., & Sarens, G. (2018). Factors that enhance the quality of the relationships between internal auditors and auditees: Evidence from Italian companies. International Journal of Auditing, 22(1), 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drogalas, G., Karagiorgos, T., & Arampatzis, K. (2015). Factors associated with internal audit effectiveness: Evidence from Greece. Journal of Accounting and Taxation, 7(7), 113–122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elg, M., Wihlborg, E., & Örnerheim, M. (2017). Public quality—For whom and how? Integrating public core values with quality management. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 28(3–4), 379–389.

    Google Scholar 

  • Emrouznejad, A., Rostami-Tabar, B., & Petridis, K. (2016). A novel ranking procedure for forecasting approaches using data envelopment analysis. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 111, 235–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erasmus, L., & Coetzee, P. (2018). Drivers of stakeholders’ view of internal audit effectiveness: Management versus audit committee. Managerial Auditing Journal, 33(1), 90–114.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin, J. (2004). A comparison of internal audit in the private and public sectors. Managerial Auditing Journal, 19(5), 640–650.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gramling, A., Schneider, A., & Bhaskar, L. (2018). Do consulting services performed by internal auditors influence their subsequent assessments when performing assurance services? In K. E. Karim (Ed.), Advances in accounting behavioral research (Vol. 21, pp. 69–95). Bingley: Emerald Publishing Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Groenewegen, P. D. (1990). Market ideology and public sector efficiency: Introduction to symposium on the market and the state. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 49(2), 95–97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gustavson, M., & Sundström, A. (2018). Organizing the audit society: Does good auditing generate less public sector corruption? Administration & Society, 50(10), 1508–1532.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gyüre, L. (2012). The role of systematic internal control and audit in reducing management risk at Hungarian Local Governments. Public Finance Quarterly, 57(2), 173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heffron, F. (1989). Organization theory and public organizations: The political connection. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). (2008). International professional practices framework-international standards for the professional practice of internal audit. Altamonte Springs, FL: IIA Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jain, R. (2017). Public sector enterprise disinvestment in India: Efficiency gains in a political context. Journal of Asian Economics, 53, 18–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnsen, Å. (2015). Strategic management thinking and practice in the public sector: A strategic planning for all seasons?. Financial Accountability & Management, 31(3), 243–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnsen, Å. (2019). Public sector audit in contemporary society: A short review and introduction. Financial Accountability & Management, 35(2), 121–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jorge, S., & Costa, A. (2009). Internal auditing amongst Portuguese municipalities. Revista Enfoques: Ciencia Política y Administración Pública, 7(11), 303–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khalid, A. A., Haron, H. H., & Masron, T. A. (2017). Relationship between internal Shariah audit characteristics and its effectiveness. Humanomics, 33(2), 221–238.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koutoupis, A., Pazarskis, M., & Drogalas, G. (2018). Auditing Corporate Governance Statements in Greece–the role of internal auditors. Corporate Governance: The International Journal of Business in Society, 18(5), 1007–1020.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladi, S. (2011). Policy change and soft Europeanization: The transfer of the ombudsman institution to Greece, Cyprus and Malta. Public Administration, 89(4), 1643–1663.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawson, B. P., Muriel, L., & Sanders, P. R. (2017). A survey on firms’ implementation of COSO’s 2013 internal control-integrated framework. Research in Accounting Regulation, 29(1), 30–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leavitt, N. (2009). Is cloud computing really ready for prime time? Computer, 1, 15–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahadeen, B., Al-Dmour, R. H., Obeidat, B. Y., & Tarhini, A. (2016). Examining the effect of the organization’s internal control system on organizational effectiveness: A Jordanian empirical study. International Journal of Business Administration, 7(6), 22–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maijoor, S. (2000). The internal control explosion. International Journal of Auditing, 4(1), 101–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miyashiro, R., & Takano, Y. (2015a). Mixed integer second-order cone programming formulations for variable selection in linear regression. European Journal of Operational Research, 247(3), 721–731.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miyashiro, R., & Takano, Y. (2015b). Subset selection by Mallows’ Cp: A mixed integer programming approach. Expert Systems with Applications, 42(1), 325–331.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mocetti, S., & Orlando, T. (2019). Corruption, workforce selection and mismatch in the public sector. European Journal of Political Economy, 60, 101809.

    Google Scholar 

  • Monfardini, P., & Maravic, P. V. (2012). Municipal auditing in Germany and Italy: Explosion, change, or recalcitrance? Financial Accountability & Management, 28(1), 52–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noraini, S., Zaini, J. A., Mustaffha, N., & Norhanizah, J. (2018). Internal audit effectiveness in Zakat Institutions from the perspective of the auditee. Management & Accounting Review17(3), 17–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ombudsman. (2010). Annual Report 2009. Athens: Ombudsman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Onumah, J. M., & Yao Krah, R. (2012). Barriers and catalysts to effective internal audit in the Ghanaian public sector. In Accounting in Africa (pp. 177–207). Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

  • Oussii, A. A., & Boulila Taktak, N. (2018). The impact of internal audit function characteristics on internal control quality. Managerial Auditing Journal, 33(5), 450–469.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papapolychroniadis, I., Rossidis, I., & Aspridis, G. (2017). Comparative analysis of recruitment systems in the public sector in Greece and Europe: Trends and outlook for staff selection systems in the Greek public sector. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 6(1), 21–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Park, Y. W., & Klabjan, D. (2017). Subset selection for multiple linear regression via optimization. arXiv preprint arXiv:1701.07920.

  • Pazarskis, M., Goumas, S., Koutoupis, S., & Konstantinidis, K. (2019). Do municipal mergers work? Evidence from municipalities in Greece. Journal of Governance & Regulation, 8(2), 61–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petridis, K., Drogalas, G., & Zografidou, E. (2019). Internal auditor selection using a TOPSIS/non-linear programming model. Annals of Operations Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-019-03307-x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pilcher, R. (2014). Role of internal audit in Australian Local Government Governance: A step in the right direction. Financial Accountability & Management, 30(2), 206–237.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rae, K., Sands, J., & Subramaniam, N. (2017). Associations among the five components within COSO internal control-integrated framework as the underpinning of quality corporate governance. Australasian Accounting, Business and Finance Journal, 11(1), 28–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raiborn, C., Butler, J. B., Martin, K., & Pizzini, M. (2017). The internal audit function: A prerequisite for Good Governance. Journal of Corporate Accounting & Finance, 28(2), 10–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rudhani, L. H., Vokshi, N. B., & Hashani, S. (2017). Factors contributing to the effectiveness of internal audit: Case study of internal audit in the public sector in Kosovo. Journal of Accounting, Finance and Auditing Studies, 3(4), 91–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sari, M., de Fatma, Lubis A., Maksum, A., & Lumbanraja, P. (2018). The influence of organization’s culture and internal control to corporate governance and is impact on Bumn (State-Owned Enterprises) corporate performance in Indonesia. Journal of Advanced Research in Law and Economics., 9(2), 681–691.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sepsey, T. (2011). Internal audits at local governments. Audit experiences of the State Audit Office of Hungary. Public Finance Quarterly, 56(4), 411.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shan, M., Le, Y., Yiu, K. T., Chan, A. P., & Hu, Y. (2017). Investigating the underlying factors of corruption in the public construction sector: Evidence from China. Science and Engineering Ethics, 23(6), 1643–1666.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tackie, G., Marfo-Yiadom, E., & Achina, S. O. (2016). Determinants of internal audit effectiveness in decentralized local government administrative systems. International Journal of Business and Management, 11(11), 184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Unegbu, A. O., & Kida, M. I. (2011). Effectiveness of internal audit as instrument of improving public Sector management. Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics and Management Sciences, 2(4), 304–309.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vadasi, C., Bekiaris, M., & Andrikopoulos, A. (2019). Corporate governance and internal audit: An institutional theory perspective. Corporate Governance, 20(1), 175–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yigzaw, A., Kassie, M., & Mariam, T. F. (2017). The role of internal audit functions and employee attitudes on financial performance of public universities in Ethiopia evidence from public universities in Amhara Region. International Journal of Accounting Research, 42(5468), 1–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zacharakis, G. P., Antonopoulou, P. I., Travlos, A. K., & Kipreos, G. S. (2017). Corruption and illegal payments in Greece. Journal of Public Management Research, 3(1), 29–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zakaria, K. M., Nawawi, A., & Salin, A. S. A. P. (2016). Internal controls and fraud–empirical evidence from oil and gas company. Journal of Financial crime, 23(4), 1154–1168.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to George Drogalas.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Drogalas, G., Petridis, K., Petridis, N.E. et al. Valuation of the internal audit mechanisms in the decision support department of the local government organizations using mathematical programming. Ann Oper Res 294, 267–280 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-020-03537-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-020-03537-4

Keywords

Navigation