Skip to main content
Poole College of Management
Enterprise Risk Management Initiative

Filtered Results

Jun 27, 2023

ERM Initiative Launches Inaugural Risk Governance Research Symposium

Risk governance thought leaders discussed recent research on four key topics at ERM Initiative’s Risk Governance Research Symposium.

Feb 8, 2022

Imagining Unimaginable Risks

Risks take a variety of forms, many of which companies can proactively manage. But novel risks are much more difficult to predict and plan for and they may seem improbable, emerge from a perfect storm of events, or are unprecedentedly massive. In their 2020 Harvard Business Review article, "The Risks You Can't Foresee," authors Robert S. Kaplan, Herman B. "Dutch" Leonard and Annette Mikes define novel risks and then describe how to detect and respond to them to mitigate the risk impact on the business.

Feb 8, 2022

Board Oversight of ESG and Diversity Risks

PwC's 2021 Annual Corporate Directors Survey gauges the views of public company directors across the United States. The survey results reveal the significant impact of the social, environmental and economic pressures companies have faced in recent years, including new risks for boards to address. The PwC report also sheds light on the changes boards are making in response to the dynamic environment.
Expert ERM Interview

Oct 6, 2021

New Resources: ERM Tools & Techniques

The ERM Initiative interviews John Fraser, Rob Quail and Betty Simkins about the 2nd edition of Enterprise Risk Management: Today’s Leading Research and Best Practices for Tomorrow’s Executives.

Sep 21, 2021

Is Your Company’s Knowledge Walking Out the Door with Your Retirees?

A conversation about the risk of knowledge loss often is centered around a technology concern evoking thoughts of cyber breaches that release proprietary information, an operational matter considering outsourcing or the one that I will discuss, a people or talent discussion. This article discusses how knowledge loss from employee attrition can be reduced through effective knowledge management and knowledge transfer practices.

Jul 30, 2019

CEO and Board Risk Management

Senior leaders often view threats in a vacuum, acknowledging their existence but missing the mark on how best to solve them. These leaders tend to know that threats are on the horizon but, in many cases, are not managing them in a strategic way. They are not seeing these critical threats as interconnected, complex risks that, when managed correctly, could create opportunities for accelerating growth. Managing risk is a critical facet of the roles of CEOs and board members. This is particularly true in today's environment of ongoing disruption, innovation, and technological change.

Apr 30, 2019

ERM and Sustainability

Over the last decade, corporations have begun paying increased attention to issues involving sustainability and risk oversight, and linking these efforts to an organization's strategy. Research and thought papers now are addressing the growing challenges related to water scarcity, resource availability, climate disruption, waste reduction, and corporate responsibility. Many organizations have embraced the new sustainability movement, but have discovered a wide-range of challenges before them. These initiatives sometimes appear as disjointed, or misunderstood, which lead to a number of problems when getting started.

Feb 21, 2019

Are Universities & Colleges Doing Enough to Manage Reputational Risk?

In a recent survey by United Educators, it is clear that more colleges and universities than ever are implementing enterprise risk management (ERM) as a way to prepare for and respond to risks and opportunities. The question is, however, whether institutions are prepared for one of the largest emerging risks to universities and colleges: reputational risk. This article assesses ERM practices at colleges and universities, describes reputational risk factors, and provides the best practices for identifying, prioritizing, and mitigating reputational risks.

Jan 29, 2019

Behaviors That Shape Corporate Culture

Corporate culture and the behaviors that shape them are always a hot topic amongst c-level management, journalists, consultants and employees of the organization. There is a traditional and typically accepted viewpoint that altering the mindsets of employees with fancy phrases and showcasing the desired qualities of culture will lead to behavior change due to employees’ willingness to conform to the new standards. However, corporate culture has three dimensions that affect its alignment which are symbolic reminders, keystone behaviors, and mind-sets. Contrary to popular belief, behavioral changes will have the longest lasting impact on culture.

Mar 6, 2018

The Risks of Persuasion

Jeff Pollack, the Lynn T. Clark II Distinguished Professor of Entreprenuership at NC State University, shares his insights about the art of persuasion, which may be particularly relevant for ERM leaders as they promote the value of risk management within their organizations.