This study investigates the relationship between success, Inheritance Risk Management (IRM), and sustainability in family businesses. This paper is based on a quantitative approach. The population includes family-owned businesses located in Abu Dhabi that have been in operation for at least two generations. The study sample consisted of family-owned business members. However, this paper focuses only on measuring variables and testing hypotheses for the proposed measurement. Due to the complexity of the model, Smart PLS-4 was used. Through an analysis of empirical data and theoretical frameworks, the research explores the direct and mediated relationships between these key variables. The findings underscore the critical role of success in driving effective risk management practices within family enterprises. Furthermore, the study highlights the significance of IRM in promoting the sustainability and resilience of family businesses over time. The results reveal a direct positive correlation between success and sustainability, emphasizing the importance of achieving and maintaining success for long-term viability. Additionally, the mediating role of IRM underscores its crucial contribution to the overall sustainability of family businesses. The study identifies various challenges in managing inheritance risks and ensuring the continuity of family enterprises, including maintaining family control, balancing family and operational responsibilities, succession planning, grooming successors, and respecting family elders. By addressing these challenges and leveraging IRM strategies, family businesses can navigate uncertainties and capitalize on opportunities, ensuring continued success across generations. These findings provide valuable insights for strategic decision-making and resource allocation in family enterprises, guiding efforts to enhance governance structures, succession planning, and risk mitigation practices. In addition, this research contributes to advancing our understanding of the complexities surrounding family businesses and underscores the importance of proactive risk management and strategic planning for long-term sustainability.

The purposes of study are to examine the effect of audit committee characteristics namely gender, frequency of meetings, independence member in audit committee and audit committee size on audit quality and the moderating role of internal audit function in the relationship between audit committee characteristics and audit quality. The objective is to contribute to the new evidence on the role of audit committee characteristics plays towards the audit quality with internal audit function as moderator. This research applied a quantitative approach and secondary data as the main source of information for analysis. Stratified random sampling techniques are being used in this study. Further, the structural equation modelling (SEM) approach via SmartPLS was utilized to achieve the research purpose by evaluating the data collected from 250 public listed companies in Malaysia. The results reveal that only three of the audit committee characteristics, namely presence of female members in the audit committee, frequency of meetings and independence of directors, are positively influencing the audit quality for listed companies in Malaysia. Surprisingly, this study also found that internal audit function did not play the moderating effect in the relationship between audit committee characteristics and audit quality. The findings will facilitate researchers and scholars to enhance the understanding of audit committee characteristics particularly the gender, frequency of AC meetings and independence members in the audit committee played in improving overall audit quality. The companies’ stakeholders like professional accountancy body and governments may use the outcomes from this research study to improve existing rules and government regulations and code of conducts of its members to improve the quality of their works. This study contributes to the relatively new discussion on the effect of audit committee characteristics on audit quality by adding internal audit function as a moderator in Malaysia. The outcome from this study may assist the companies’ stakeholders like professional accountancy body and governments in determining improved methods to enhance audit committee characteristics in improving audit quality.

Purpose The aim of this study is to look into the factors that influence the level of ethics and integrity in Malaysian public sector. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a quantitative approach by delivering 128 questionnaires to Federal Chief Integrity Officers (CIOs), of which 83 were received and usable. The data were analysed using multiple regression analysis and descriptive statistics. Findings The quality of CIO in terms of competency, work performance and ethical climate has significant impact on the level of ethics and integrity. According to the study, having certified CIOs who can effectively perform their function and promote and nurture a transparent ethical climate are critical for the Malaysian Federal government to maintain a high level of ethics. Employees who have a high level of ethics are more likely to stay with the organization. Practical implications In addition, this study will assist policymakers in taking the required actions to strengthen public sector integrity practices for the establishment of a more dependable and efficient government in Malaysia. Originality/value This study addresses a gap in the Malaysian public sector’s level of ethics and integrity.