Control Environment and Risk Management of Listed Financial Services Firms in Nigeria

Abstract

A considerable number of studies have examined the effect of control environment on risk management at corporate level. However, these studies failed to disaggregate control environment into its elements and therefore failed to answer the question of which of the elements of control environment has the most impact. It is in view of this that this study examines the effect of control environment on risk management of listed financial services firms in Nigeria. Primary data was collected using the 5-point Likert scale structured questionnaire adopted from Ernst and Young (2003), the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013) and Simon and Fishbacher (2009) frameworks. 30 copies of the questionnaire were administered on each of the 35 sampled listed financial services firms. The data were diagnosed by means of normality test, multicollinearity test, heteroskedasticity test and reliability test and analyzed using descriptive (mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum) and multiple regression analysis. Results show that all the 6 measures of control environment have significant effects on risk management among listed finance services firms in Nigeria. The study, therefore, concludes that integrity, values, ethics and behaviours of managers, management control and consciousness, commitment, board and audit committee participation in corporate governance and oversight and organizational structure, assignment of authority and human resource policy and practices are important considerations in risk management. The study recommends among others that the board and audit committee of the firms to take a more proactive participation in corporate governance and oversight. Managers must acknowledge their role in shaping organizational ethics and values and seize this opportunity to create a climate that can strengthen the relationships and reputations on which their companies’ success depends. Sound decision-making is a crucial skill for managers.  From overseeing a team to leading a critical meeting, being an effective manager requires knowing how to analyze complex business problems and implement a plan for moving forward.  Finally, management should position their organizations within their markets to exploit organizational competencies and strengths.

Keywords: Control Environment, Risk Management, Financial services Firms, Internal Control, and Management Control.

DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/12-6-05

Publication date:March 31^st 2021