Audit of the effectiveness of SME support in the context of the digital transformation of human resources of the supreme audit institution
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59476/mtt2026.v2i22.779Keywords:
artificial intelligence, small and medium-sized enterprises, supreme audit institution (SAI), human resourcesAbstract
This article aims to analyze the practical application of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies as a transformative factor for the human resource potential of the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI). The study focuses on the audit of the effectiveness of state support within the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The integration of AI algorithms into SAI activities fundamentally redefines the role of the state auditor, transforming them into a data analyst capable of identifying latent correlations between state support volumes and the qualitative growth of the enterprise sector. The study reveals a critical discrepancy: while there is a formal increase in the number of SMEs, current financial incentives in low-tech sectors remain largely ineffective. The findings suggest that the traditional audit system, lacking advanced data analytics, merely records budget absorption indicators without evaluating their impact on the technological complexity and productivity of the businesses involved. The originality of this research lies in the conceptualization of a fundamentally new model of state audit, in which AI serves as the primary driver of transforming SAI human capital. The practical significance is underscored by the development of algorithmic tools for "smart" monitoring of state support, integrated with national databases. The study justifies a methodology for detecting hidden inefficiency risks by automatically benchmarking allocated funds against SMEs' actual contribution to the country’s economic development.
References
1. Alshira'h, A. F., & Alshirah, M. (2025). Determinants of audit quality in small and medium-sized enterprises adopting digital accounting systems: Evidence from Jordan. Asian Review of Accounting, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARA-09-2025-0308
2. Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108
3. Becker, G. S. (1964). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis with special reference to education, first Edition. National Bureau of Economic Research.
4. Brignall, S., & Modell, S. (2000). An institutional perspective on performance measurement and management in the new public sector. Management Accounting Research, 11(3), 281–306. https://doi.org/10.1006/mare.2000.0136
5. Glynn, J. J., & Murphy, M. P. (1996). Public management: Failing accountabilities and failing performance review. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 9(5/6), 125–137. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513559610146492
6. Guthrie, J. E., & Parker, L. D. (1999). A quarter of a century of performance auditing in the Australian federal public sector: A malleable masque. Abacus, 35(3), 302–332. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6281.00048
7. Hakami, T. A. (2025). Enhancing internal audit efficiency in Saudi Arabian SMEs: The impact of cloud adoption determinants. SN Business & Economics, 5(230). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43546-025-00992-8
8. Hay, D. (2019). The future of auditing. In The Routledge companion to auditing (pp. 417–428). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203094921
9. Hyndman, N., & Lapsley, I. (2016). New public management: The story continues. Financial Accountability & Management, 32(4), 385–408. https://doi.org/10.1111/faam.12100
10. Kells, S. (2011). The seven deadly sins of performance auditing: Implications for monitoring public audit institutions. Australian Accounting Review, 21(4), 383–396. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1835-2561.2011.00150.x
11. Lois, P., Drogalas, G., Karagiorgos, A., & Tsikalakis, K. (2020). Internal audits in the digital era: Opportunities, risks and challenges. EuroMed Journal of Business, 15(2), 205–217. https://doi.org/10.1108/EMJB-07-2019-0097
12. Lombardi, D. R., Bloch, R., & Vasarhelyi, M. A. (2015). The current state and future of the audit profession. Current Issues in Auditing, 9(1), 10–16. https://doi.org/10.2308/ciia-50988
13. Lonsdale, J., Wilkins, P., Ling, T. (2011). Performance auditing: Contributing to accountability in democratic government. Edward Elgar Publishing.
14. Manita, R., Elommal, N., Baudier, P., & Hikkerova, L. (2020). The digital transformation of external audit and its impact on corporate governance. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 150, 119751. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2019.119751
15. Morin, D. (2008). Auditors general’s universe revisited: An exploratory study of the influence they exert on public administration through their value for money audits. Managerial Auditing Journal, 23(7), 697–720. https://doi.org/10.1108/02686900810890652
16. Pollitt, C. (2003). Performance audit in Western Europe: Trends and choices. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 14(1/2), 157–170. https://doi.org/10.1006/cpac.2002.0521
17. Tillema, S., & ter Bogt, H. J. (2010). Performance auditing: Improving the quality of political and democratic processes? Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 21(8), 754–769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpa.2010.06.001
18. Tornatzky, L. G., & Fleischer, M. (1990). The processes of technological innovation. Lexington Books.
19. Torres, L., & Pina, V. (1999). An empirical study on the performance of Supreme Audit Institutions in European Union privatizations. European Accounting Review, 8(4), 777–795. https://doi.org/10.1080/096381899335808
20. Warren, J. D., Moffitt, K. C., & Byrnes, P. (2015). How Big Data will change accounting. Accounting Horizons, 29(2), 397–407. https://doi.org/10.2308/acch-51069
21. Zhang, J., Yang, X., & Appelbaum, D. (2015). Toward effective Big Data analysis in continuous auditing. Accounting Horizons, 29(2), 469–476. https://doi.org/10.2308/acch-51070
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Aliya Mukusheva, Tolegen Mukushev, Ceslovas Christaukas

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.