1. School of Postgraduate Studies : Projects, Theses and Dissertations

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Browsing 1. School of Postgraduate Studies : Projects, Theses and Dissertations by Subject "Accountability"

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    The quality of financial reports and its correlation with decision-making effectiveness in selected fields of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, South Sudan
    (Adventist University of Africa, 2022-12) Kubach Giel Gatluak Jok
    This study focused on the challenges of receiving timely and accurate financial reports (regarding the tithes and offerings) in the three Fields of the South Sudan Attached Territory of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It was observed that several local churches were not sending their reports within the time specified for reporting. It was also observed that the reports were sometimes inaccurate; the figures for tithes and offerings did not match the amount reported. Such a situation implies that false financial reports could potentially affect the decision-making effectiveness of the executive boards in those Fields. However, the situation has never been empirically analyzed, nor have the causes for the delay and accuracy been determined. Hence, the purpose of the study was to empirically assess the quality – timeliness, and accuracy – of financial reports and the causes for the delay and inaccuracy in the financial reports. Further, the relationship between timeliness, accuracy, and decision-making effectiveness was also analyzed. The study used a quantitative cross-sectional design. The instrument was a self-designed questionnaire administered to the 57 board members of the three fields. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and correlational statistics. The findings revealed that the financial reports were generally submitted on time and were accurate. But there was room for improvement in both areas. The causes for the delay in submitting the reports were the distance between the local churches and the headquarters; the vastness of the districts that also have many churches; poor communication; and a lack of training of the local treasurers. The study also revealed that reports were inaccurate due to a lack of training for local church treasurers, information systems (equipment and tools), and proper records in the local churches. The study confirmed a correlation between quality measured by the timeliness and accuracy of reports and decision-making effectiveness. This finding implies that the board members risk making less effective decisions regarding financial matters because of the low quality of financial information. A strategy was proposed to help the administration of the fields solve four major issues highlighted in the findings. In particular, the issues concerned the distance between the churches, the reorganization of the districts, communication between the local churches and the higher organization, and the awareness of the importance of quality reports by all the stakeholders. The recommendations based on the findings were addressed to the administrators of the fields to provide means of transportation for the district pastors and local church leaders to facilitate reporting on time; to give envelopes, receipt books, and journal books for proper documentation; to reorganize the districts for better management, and to provide accounting software (like Quickbooks) to local churches. Last, there should be training for pastors and local church officers on financial reporting. The recommendations to the local pastors were to select the finance personnel in the local churches carefully, to liaise with the administration so that regular training happens for the church treasurers; to oversee the performance of the local church finance team to ensure that proper reporting is done.