Organisational culture and its implications on the internal control environment within listed entities

Abstract

PURPOSE: One of the objectives of this study is to ascertain the key elements of organisational culture within Maltese listed entities and how these elements compare or differ from those identified in the literature. The second objective of this research is to analyse the importance and implications of organisational culture on the internal control environment. Given that recent corporate scandals were caused due to the failure of top management to recognise the signs of a poor organisational culture, this study is also intent on identifying the main deficiencies in Maltese listed entities pertaining to organisational culture and internal controls. DESIGN: In order to meet the aforementioned research objectives, a qualitative approach implementing open-ended questions was applied in this study. Primary data was collected through the use of semi-structured interviews with nine high calibre representatives of Maltese equity listed entities and one academic in this research topic. FINDINGS: It was found that the tone at the top is one of the most prominent elements of organisational culture within Maltese listed entities. The behaviour and demeanour of the leaders are heavily scrutinised by their employees and thus, the statement ‘leading by example’ is abided by. Values and people were other key elements identified. Furthermore, organisational culture is predominantly important for the effectiveness and efficiency of the internal control environment. They are closely associated and highly influential towards the other, indicating that the demise of one can lead to the failure of the other within an entity. Additionally, aspects regarding employees, training and technology were the main areas recognised within Maltese listed entities that necessitated improvement with regards to internal controls and organisational culture. CONCLUSIONS: This study concludes that a different understanding of organisational cultural elements is present within Maltese listed entities. While material elements were identified during the interviews, lacunae persist with regards to the non-traditional elements. Moreover due to the current dynamic environment, Maltese listed entities are rapidly familiarising themselves with current issues in order to be proactive and flexible in cultivating deficiencies. IMPLICATIONS: It is hoped that this study will contribute towards raising more awareness about the importance and implications of organisational culture within Maltese listed entities.