The role of Machiavellian personality, altruistic personality, religiosity, whistleblowing system, and accounting firm size in mitigating fraud intention

Abstract

PurposeThis study aims to explore personal and organizational factors in mitigating fraud intention through machiavellian personality, altruistic personality, religiousity, whistleblowing system, and accounting firm size. Companies will suffer greater losses if they cannot prevent fraudulent practices. The fraud hexagon theory is considered effective in detecting the possibility of fraud and the tendency of fraud motivated by personal and organizational factors. Therefore, the researchers examined several factors, including Machiavellian, altruism, religiosity, whistleblowing system and accounting firm size in mitigating fraud intention.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a self-administered survey of accountants in Indonesia. The accountants were selected as the sample because the accounting profession has considerable potential in committing fraud. To avoid common method bias, the authors performed ex ante and ex post on the questionnaire. This research model was tested using structural equation modeling-partial least square.FindingsThe results revealed that personal factors in the form of Machiavellian, altruism and religiosity had a direct impact on decreasing fraud intention. In addition, whistleblowing system and accounting firm size were able to promote the effectiveness of fraud mitigation.Research limitations/implicationsThis study uses one profession, namely, accountants, so it requires further research to see the similarity of results in other professions.Practical implicationsThe results contribute to managerial decision-making. Companies should include personal tests during employee recruitment because personal factors are the key to determining individual fraud behavior.Social implicationsCombining personal factors and organizational factors can promote the success of the internal control system, so that individuals are encouraged to do ethical things.Originality/valueThis study combines personal and organizational factors in mitigating fraud, so as to know accurately which factors are most capable of mitigating fraud.