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Poole College of Management
Enterprise Risk Management Initiative

Briefs and Insights

Apr 15, 2009

Risk Culture of Companies

Risk culture is an area of risk management that has become a recent focus for many boards. Risk culture is the system of values and behaviors present in an organization that shapes risk decisions of management and employees. A first step to addressing the risk culture of an organization is a conversation among management and the board involving topics such as "tone at the top" effective communication, and appropriate incentives. A strong risk culture will take time to develop in an organization and its presence will mean that employees know what a company stands for, the boundaries within which it can operate, and that they can openly discuss which risks should be taken in order to achieve the company's long-term strategic goals.

Mar 31, 2009

Effects of Economic Crisis on Corporate Governance

The economic crisis has reshaped corporate governance, pushing boards to enhance oversight, redefine roles, and focus on long-term sustainability. Learn how risk management and strategic decision-making are transforming governance.

Mar 1, 2009

Six Ways Companies Mismanage Risk

René M. Stulz identifies six ways risk management can fail, from relying on historical data to poor communication. Learn how organizations can improve their risk management strategies and avoid costly pitfalls.

Mar 1, 2009

Audit Committee Member Survey

Audit committee members express concerns about risk management during the financial crisis, with calls for greater oversight, enhanced meeting efficiency, and better information flow to address critical business risks.

Mar 1, 2009

Ten Practical Lessons for Risk Management

Recent events have uncovered significant deficiencies in the way risks are managed at financial institutions and many other companies. Research into these deficiencies shows ten practical lessons companies can apply to address current weaknesses and strengthen risk management systems. By wielding appropriate authority, gaining support from senior management, and thoroughly examining the models and incentive systems used, risk managers can greatly improve companies' risk management systems.

Mar 1, 2009

Key Areas of Concern in Corporate Governance

Strong corporate governance is essential for boards as they are positioned to lead the way in implementing measures that contribute to economic growth and sustainability. There are four areas of corporate governance the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) has identified as being the most important and of immediate concern: risk oversight, corporate strategy, executive compensation, and transparency. Within each area of concern, the NACD provides recommendations from their Key Agreed Principles to Strengthen Corporate Governance for U.S. Publicly Traded Companies document as well as addresses future challenges boards will face in improving governance practices in each area.

Feb 27, 2009

S&P Evaluations of ERM as Part of Credit Rating Process

Standard & Poor’s now includes ERM evaluations in credit ratings to gauge management’s risk oversight effectiveness. Discover how S&P assesses risk culture, strategy, and management’s approach to enterprise-wide risks.

Feb 1, 2009

Internal Auditors Partnership with Management

Internal auditors in the past have been used to examine how well management is performing and how well the company is operating. Now there is a need for internal auditors to work in conjunction with management to oversee risks. CHAN Healthcare Auditors realized this change in internal audit and has developed an audit process and tool that allows for a more effective approach to risk management. Even though the approach is mainly geared towards the healthcare industry, it can be used in numerous industries to determine companywide and departmental vulnerabilities.

Feb 1, 2009

Enhancing IT Risk Management: An Exposure Draft

Learn how the Risk IT Framework helps organizations address IT risks by enhancing governance, identifying vulnerabilities, and implementing processes to improve enterprise-wide IT risk management.

Feb 1, 2009

Risk Management Platforms

Learn how formal Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) frameworks help businesses balance risk and opportunity. Discover the benefits of Oracle’s Strategy-to-Success (S2S) platform, which integrates risk management with business operations for strategic success.