Title: Accountability through budget performance: a study on budget adequacy and participation of Malaysian local government

Authors: Tuan Zainun Tuan Mat; Nor Azlina Mohd Saad; Roshayani Arshad; Saiyidi Mat Roni; Sharina Tajul Urus

Addresses: Faculty of Accountancy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam Campus, 43200 Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia ' Internal Audit Department, Level 2, Menara DBKL 2, Jalan Raja Laut, 50350, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ' Accounting Research Institute, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia ' School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup WA 6027, Australia ' Faculty of Accountancy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam Campus, 43200 Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract: Budget mirrors local authorities' effective and efficient resource allocation practices. In many cases, however, a tendency toward budget slack raises genuine concern among stakeholders who participate in and are affected by the budget. The budget slack potentially exerts bias in the budgeting process which is detrimental to the accountability of local authorities. On this premise, this study aims to examine the influence of budget participation and budget adequacy on the budget performance of local governments in Malaysia and how accountability could be promoted through high budget performance. A survey-based instrument was used to collect the data for this study from various local authorities in Klang Valley. A total of 110 responses were obtained representing a 73% response rate. Partial least square (PLS) structural equation modelling results showed that the effect of budgetary participation on budget performance is direct and also mediated by budget adequacy. This implies, among others, that while participation in the budgeting process can enhance budget performance, the effect is also contingent on the adequacy of resources the participants are presented with.

Keywords: accountability; budget adequacy; budget participation; budget performance; local government.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEM.2022.119426

International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets, 2022 Vol.14 No.1, pp.86 - 105

Accepted: 03 Jan 2021
Published online: 03 Dec 2021 *

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