Internal Control Practices and Financial Performance of Public Companies: An Exploratory Study in the Ivorian Context

Abstract

This study aims to develop a theoretical model explaining the influence of internal control practices on the financial performance of public enterprises in Côte d’Ivoire. The research adopts a constructivist epistemological stance combined with an abductive reasoning approach within a qualitative exploratory design. An extensive literature review was conducted, followed by ten (10) semi-structured interviews with internal audit and control experts. The qualitative results, analyzed through thematic coding, made it possible to identify key internal control dimensions and formulate four research hypotheses adapted to the Ivorian public sector context. The findings highlight the central role of internal control procedures, decision-making quality, control activities, and fraud risk management in improving financial performance.