The impact of Internal Control in ERP Systems on the financial reliability for Pymes' access to the Ecuadorian stock market

Abstract

This study analyzes the integration of internal control and auditing as strategic pillars for strengthening the management of technological innovation projects in Ecuador, focusing on the implementation of digital accounting systems. Despite the accelerated adoption of ERP systems driven by the 2022-2025 Digital Transformation Agenda, a critical gap exists between technical innovation and control mechanisms, increasing vulnerability to fraud and operational errors. The analysis, based on a sample of 138 professionals, reveals that 48.6% lack a formal risk assessment (combining informal assessments of 28.3% with a complete absence of assessments of 20.3%), reducing the process to a purely technical change. A key finding is the weakness of the human factor: 65.2% of staff received less than five days of training, leading to a low perception of self-efficacy and neutralizing the potential of the technological tools. This lack of coordination means that, even though 83.3% of organizations have digital controls in place, audit findings and regulatory issues persist with oversight bodies due to users' lack of technical knowledge. In conclusion, the success of accounting digitization depends not only on the software itself, but also on a comprehensive management model that applies the COSO and COBIT frameworks, prioritizing specialized training and preventive auditing to ensure financial integrity and organizational transparency.