Managers and employees are to maintain a level of competence that allows them to understand the importance of developing, implementing, and maintaining good internal control and to perform their duties in order to accomplish the general internal control objectives and the entity’s mission. Everyone in an organisation is involved in internal control with his own specific responsibilities.Managers and their staffs must therefore maintain and demonstrate a level of skill necessary to assess risk and help ensure effective and efficient performance, and an understanding of internal control sufficient to effectively discharge their responsibilitiesProviding training, for example, can raise the awareness of public servants of the internal control objectives and, in particular, the objective of ethical operations, and helps them to understand the internal control objectives and to develop skills to handle ethical dilemmas.Tone at the topThe “tone at the top” (i.e. management’s philosophy and operating style) reflects:• a supportive attitude toward internal control at all times, inde- pendence, competence and leading by example;• a code of conduct set out by management, and counselling and performance appraisals that support the internal control objectives and, in particular, that of ethical operations.The attitude established by top management is reflected in all aspects of management's actions. The commitment, the involvement and support of top government officials and legislators in setting "the tone at the top" foster a positive attitude and are critical to maintaining a positive and supportive attitude towards internal control in an organisation.
If top management believes that internal control is important, others in the organisation will sense that and will respond by conscientiously observing the controls established. For example, the creation of an internal audit unit as part of the internal control system is a strong signal by management that internal control is important.
On the other hand, if the members of the organisation feel that control is not an important concern to the top management and control is given lip service rather than meaningful support, it is almost certain that the organisation’s control objectives will not be effectively achieved
Consequently, demonstration of and insistence on ethical conduct by management is of vital importance to the internal control objectives and, in particular the objective of “ethical operations”. In carrying out its role, management should set a good example through its own actions and its conduct should reflect what is proper rather than what is acceptable or expedient. In particular, management’s policies, procedures and practices should promote orderly, ethical, economical, efficient and effective conduct
The integrity of managers and their staffs is, however, influenced by many elements. Therefore, personnel should periodically be reminded of their obligations under an operative code of conduct issued by the top management. Counselling and performance appraisals are also important. Overall performance appraisals should be based on an assessment of many critical factors, including the employees’s role in effecting internal control.
Organisational structure
The organisational structure of an entity provides:
• assignment of authority and responsibility;
• empowerment and accountability;
• appropriate lines of reporting.
The organisational structure defines the entity’s key areas of authority and responsibility. Empowerment and accountability relate to the manner in which this authority and responsibility are delegated throughout the organisation. There can be no empowerment or accountability with out a form of reporting. Therefore, appropriate lines of reporting need to be defined. In exceptional circumstances, other lines of reporting have to be possible in addition to the normal ones, such as in cases where management is involved in irregularities.
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