Leading Organizations in Hazardous Times

The Social Dynamics of Risk
1. Auflage 2025
ISBN: 978-1-032-37170-2
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd (Sales)

Buch, Englisch, 262 Seiten, Format (B × H): 178 mm x 254 mm, Gewicht: 676 g

Does your organization have the capacity to respond to risk it has not anticipated or prepared for? Is its approach to risk explicit and understood by employees? Does it employ a holistic risk management strategy—balancing people and operational controls to mitigate threats? Does it have a robust risk culture? If your response to these questions is guarded or uncertain, this book will have value for you and your organization.

Organizations and leaders in a widening risk environment face four realities which challenge their ability to manage risk: 1) the two-dimensional nature of risk—risk itself and behavior in response to risk, 2) the diversity of attitudes and behavior in relationship to risk, 3) the influence on behavior of cognitive, psychological and contextual factors that are part of social dynamics, and 4) the compounding effect of social dynamics that make risk difficult to manage. These realities add up to a conundrum: The challenge for organizations and leaders lies not in risk itself, but in social dynamics that shape behavior in response to risk.

Whether triggered by an internal problem or external event, risk management failures often result from a lack of understanding of causative factors and behavior in response to risk. Effective leaders make risk a core part of their agenda. They put people at the center of strategy and face challenges head-on that impact their organization’s ability to manage risk. Among the challenges are:

- the toll on organizational resources of a growing array of risk factors

- risk ‘blind spots’ in the organization warranting attention

- cultural weaknesses and vulnerabilities elevating exposure to risk

- employee disengagement from risk and responsibility for managing it

- creating advantage from risk by envisioning it as an opportunity or strength in contrast to a threat or weakness

Leading Organizations in Hazardous Times: The Social Dynamics of Risk builds capability in risk management by enhancing leader understanding of risk behavior and factors contributing to risk culture. It encourages leaders to invest in continuous learning to navigate asymmetries of attitude and behavior, management, and leadership style that contribute to organizational success or failure in managing risk.

Zielgruppe

Professional

Autoren/Hrsg.

Alfred, Richard

Fachgebiete

• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Management Unternehmensorganisation & Entwicklungsstrategien
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Bereichsspezifisches Management Management: Führung & Motivation
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Management Qualitätsmanagement, Qualitätssicherung (QS), Total Quality Management (TQM)
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Organisationstheorie, Organisationssoziologie, Organisationspsychologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Part I: The Changing Face of Risk Chapter 1. A Risk Society Chapter 2. Risk and Response Chapter 3. Modeling Social Dynamics Part II: Social Dynamics of Risk Chapter 4. Risk and Cognition Chapter 5. Eclipse of Societal Guardrails Chapter 6. Group Dynamics and Risk Behavior Chapter 7. The Shaping Power of Institutions Chapter 8. A Perfect Storm Part III: Leading and Managing Risk Chapter 9. Building a Risk Intelligent Organization Chapter 10. The Asymmetry of Leading

Über Autor(innen)

Richard L. Alfred is Emeritus Professor of Higher Education at the University of Michigan. Prior to joining the graduate faculty at Michigan, he served as an executive officer in the City University of New York and the Metropolitan Community Colleges in Kansas City. He is the author of numerous books including Catastrophic Risk: Business Strategy for Managing Turbulence in a World at Risk (2021), Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders: Context, Challenges and Capabilities (2015), Performance: The Dynamic of Results in Postsecondary Organizations (2012) and an award-winning book on organizational strategy, Managing the Big Picture in Colleges and Universities: From Tactics to Strategy (2006). Throughout a 50-year career in academe, he has consulted with hundreds of organizations in the areas of strategy, organizational change and effectiveness, and leadership. His models for strategic planning and performance assessment are widely used by organizations in developing change strategy. Foresight into the future—a hallmark of his books, writing and speaking—is an oft-used resource by leaders to guide strategic decisions through anticipation of challenges and opportunities that lie beyond the horizon.

Dick holds a bachelor of arts degree from Allegheny College and master’s and doctoral degrees from Penn State University. He and his wife Pat reside in Ocean Park, Maine.