Effect of accounting information and communication control on financial performance of Sacco’s in Kenya

The study sought to examine the effect of Accounting Information and Communication control on the financial performance of Sacco’s in Kenya. The study employed a mixed research design targeting 175 Sacco’s with 875 respondents. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the CEOs, Finance Managers, Risk Managers, ICT Managers and Internal auditors. Data were collected by the use of both primary and secondary techniques. Primary data collection was using questionnaires, while secondary data detailed document analysis of audited accounts to capture information on financial performance. A pilot study was conducted in Nairobi County. Content and construct validity were tested at a KMO value of 0.870, which signified that factor analysis was appropriate. Cronbach Alpha was applied to establish reliability, ranging from 0.859 for accounting information and communication control to 0.916 for financial performance. Data were analyzed by use of descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive analysis included; frequencies, Mean, Standard deviation and percentage, while inferential analysis involved regression analysis. The results showed a significant positive relationship between Accounting Information and Communication control and financial performance (r=0.661, P=0.000). Accounting Information and Communication control explained 43.7% (R2 =0.437) of variance in financial performance; the beta value for Accounting Information and Communication control from the regression model was 0.551 at p< 0.05. The study concluded that Accounting Information and Communication control has a significant positive effect on financial performance. The study recommended that SACCOs conduct periodic reviews of the effectiveness of its accounting information and communication system to ensure management receives timely, relevant, and reliable reports for decision-making.