An empirical analysis of vehicle petty cash expenditure trends in a cooperative organization

Abstract

Effective management of petty cash expenditure is essential for ensuring financial accountability and operational efficiency, particularly within cooperative organizations where resources are collectively owned and carefully monitored. This study examines vehicle-related petty cash expenditure within a Malaysian cooperative organization over a three-year period from 2022 to 2024. Adopting a quantitative and descriptive research design, the analysis is based on secondary data obtained from internal financial records maintained by the organization’s accounts unit. Vehicle-related expenditure is categorised into petrol, parking and toll charges and other related costs to reflect the actual structure of transactions recorded. Descriptive statistics and trend analysis are employed to evaluate expenditure behaviour across annual and quarterly periods. The findings reveal a consistent increase in vehicle-related petty cash expenditure over the study period, accompanied by noticeable seasonal variations, with higher expenditure concentrated in specific quarters. Petrol expenses represent the dominant cost component, indicating the structural nature of fuel-related expenditure, while other costs exhibit greater variability and are potentially more controllable. The results highlight that although petty cash transactions are individually small, their cumulative impact constitutes a significant portion of operational expenditure. The observed trends suggest the need for improved monitoring, more accurate budget planning and stronger internal control mechanisms to enhance financial governance. This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on micro-level expenditure behaviour within a cooperative context and offers practical insights for strengthening cost control and financial management practices.