Rethinking Risk

Book excerpt: Risk. It’s a given factor in the operation of any organization. From corporate fraud and security issues to technological and other man-made disasters, bad things do happen. And while many businesses build elaborate defenses against these unexpected occurrences, often employing powerful technology to help detect and prevent them, most risk-assessment strategies fail to connect the dots before it’s too late. This book, based on the author’s extensive experience analyzing the sources of corporate and organizational failure, reveals how a company can mitigate risk using available resources, including what may be the most important asset: its people. Readers will discover valuable strategies, enabling them to: Draw “actionable intelligence” from enormous amounts of data • Quickly make better-informed assessments and decisions • Tap into the rich human sources of information that can directly alert them to signs of risk • Do a better job of anticipat ing and avoiding problems Filled with practical, real-world insight and featuring interviews with experienced risk practitioners, this book will help any business recognize the first signs of trouble.