Considering the Control Legacy-K (CLK) Framework to Serve as a Basis for a Measuring Instrument to Assess the Control Environment of Non-JSE Listed Business Entities

A sound system of internal control is a necessity for business entities; comprising five inter-related elements. The soundness of such a system is influenced by the control environment; often described as the foundation of any system of internal control. According to guidance documents, the definition and the description of the control environment are known however a common approach to assess the control environment of business entities mostly pertain to a quantitative “tick and bash” checklist. Such a yes-no-predicament causes a paradox regarding the axiom that one can only manage what one can measure. By referring to a recently developed internal control framework – the Control Legacy-K (CLK) Framework – the probability exists that the control environment of non-JSE listed business entities can be assessed in both a quantitative and qualitative manner. To this end, the primary objective of this study was to investigate whether the CLK Framework, particularly its first two steps, covers the definition and description of the control environment sufficiently. A meta-analysis of relevant reviewed literature was performed. From the research conducted it appears that the first two steps of the CLK Framework do cover the definition and description of the control environment sufficiently; enough to be considered as a mixed-method instrument to assess the control environment of non-JSE listed business entities.