Examining the effectiveness and implementation challenges of internal control systems for strategic risk management in private higher education institutions

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Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
Private higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines face persistent governance and accountability challenges due to weak internal control systems. These weaknesses contribute to financial inefficiencies, compliance risks, and a decline in institutional trust. Addressing this issue is crucial as HEIs adapt to evolving regulatory requirements and sustainability demands. This study aims to examine the effectiveness, implementation challenges, and strategic risk management practices associated with internal control systems among eight private HEIs in Nueva Ecija, the Philippines, during the 2024–2025 academic year. A descriptive-quantitative approach was employed, utilizing a validated survey instrument administered to 69 finance-related personnel, including cashiers, budget officers, and accountants, yielding a high reliability score (Cronbach’s α = 0.917). The findings reveal that internal control systems are generally effective (mean score = 4.12, SD = 0.56), yet constrained by weaknesses in risk mitigation, monitoring, and personnel engagement. Significant correlations (p < 0.05) were observed between control effectiveness, implementation challenges, and risk management practices, indicating that organizational culture and institutional capacity strongly influence system performance. The study concludes that strengthening audit communication, monitoring mechanisms, and staff competence through technology-supported risk management initiatives can enhance institutional governance, accountability, and long-term sustainability in private higher education institutions.

Acknowledgment
The authors used an AI-based assistant (ScholarGPT, built on the GPT-5 framework and Gemini) to support the organization and refinement of the literature review section. The tool was employed strictly for improving structure, clarity, and coherence. All conceptual analyses, interpretations, and conclusions were developed and verified by the authors to ensure accuracy and compliance with Problems and Perspectives in Management editorial and ethical standards.

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    • Table 1. Distribution of respondents per HEI
    • Table 2. Profile of HEIs
    • Table 3. Internal control system of private educational institutions
    • Table 4. Effectiveness of private HEIs’ internal control system
    • Table 5. Challenges in the implementation of an internal control system
    • Table 6. Description of the risk management on the internal control system
    • Table 7. Pearson correlations among internal control components and risk-management indicators
    • Conceptualization
      Lorelie Alarcon, Jeffrey Franco
    • Data curation
      Lorelie Alarcon, Gina Garcia, Bryan Barlis
    • Formal Analysis
      Lorelie Alarcon, Gina Garcia, Bryan Barlis
    • Investigation
      Lorelie Alarcon
    • Methodology
      Lorelie Alarcon, Gina Garcia
    • Project administration
      Lorelie Alarcon, Bryan Barlis
    • Resources
      Lorelie Alarcon, Jeffrey Franco, Bryan Barlis
    • Supervision
      Lorelie Alarcon
    • Writing – original draft
      Lorelie Alarcon
    • Funding acquisition
      Jeffrey Franco, Gina Garcia
    • Validation
      Jeffrey Franco, Bryan Barlis
    • Visualization
      Jeffrey Franco
    • Writing – review & editing
      Jeffrey Franco, Gina Garcia, Bryan Barlis