The Effect of Corporate Governance in Palestine on the Efficiency of Internal Audit: Empirical Evidence

This paper comes to examine the impact of corporate governance in Palestine on the efficiency of internal audit from the reality of the listed corporations in the Palestine Exchange; [PEX]. The population of this paper consists of all the 25 listed Palestinian companies in the Palestine Exchange that have internal auditor. It also includes another 5 companies that rely on the internal audit by external companies. Hence, the number of the reviewed companies by this study is 30 companies (Palestine Exchange Market). Thereupon, 30 questionaires were distributed and retrived. However, this manuscript states a summary of the most important results. These results are explained as is shown in the following: (1) the findings of the study state that there is an effect of applying the variables of corporate governance altogether on the quality of the internal audit of the listed public companies in the Palestine Exchange. These rules are (disclosure and transparency, accountability, responsibility, justice, and independency). (2) The results of the study indicate that there is a significant effect of applying the corporate governance variables individually on the quality of the internal audit of the listed public companies in the Palestine Exchange. Thus, the effect of these variables appears contrasted respectively as the following: disclosure and transparency, justice and accountability, independency and responsibility. (3) The corporate governance represents combining the right practices and procedures which operate within the standards and rules that governed by the obligatory standards. These standards aim at ensuring that there aren¡¯t any contradictions between the strategic goals of the company and the fuctional procedures of the administration in achieving these goals. (4) The internal audit adds value to the company through the functions that enhance its performance within corporate governance. This includes providing information to all levels of the management, evaluating the system of the internal control and the risk management, in addition to sticking the company with the principles of corporate governance. The findings of the study come up with the following recommendations: (1) the study assures the importance of applying the corporate governance principles because of their clear effect on the internal audit quality. It also recommends working efficiently on the professional development of the auditors and improving their performance through training programs, as well, encouraging them to keep up with the latest developments in the field of the auditing and other related fields. (2) It strongly recommends working on enhancing and activating the role of the board of directors and the audit committee; as well as granting them the independency. Hence, they will be able to carry out the tasks assigned to them. Consequently, they will avoid the effects that the company may be exposed to as a result of the internal weakness of the practical aspects of the principles of corporate governance; in addition to the negative impacts of this issue on the quality of the internal audit.