Category Archives: Government@Risk – Jim Kline

#187 – ENTERPRISE RISK MANAGEMENT IS NOT A STANDALONE – JAMES KLINE PH.D.

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aIMG_4231-150x150When Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) is advocated, it often seems like it is the end all and be all.  However, this is not true.  It is a methodology which assists management in identifying the risk that can prevent an organization from accomplishing it desired goals.  As such, it should be viewed as another management tool in a range of tools.  Perhaps the best presentation of this idea, for local government, is from the city of Oshawa Canada.  This piece discusses how it has integrated ERM into it continuous improvement process. Continue reading →

#186 – PREDICTABLE SURPRISES: THE VOLKSWAGEN STORY – JIM KLINE PH.D.

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aIMG_4231-150x150A predictable surprise is a risk event that in some form is known within the organization. It is of a nature that if left unresolved, it could be costly.  But fixing the problem appears to have larger short run costs, than long term benefits.  The Volkswagen diesel emissions fraud is one such example. It also a case where the penalties imposed outweighed the short term costs. Moreover, had a risk assessment occurred at several points along the way, there might not have been a scandal.  Continue reading →

#185 – HOW A CULTURAL AUDIT CAN ASSIST RISK MANAGEMENT – JAMES KLINE PH.D.

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aIMG_4231-150x150Introduction

An organization’s culture is an important determinant of its success or failure. This is because an organization’s culture is the combined effect of the employees’ underlying assumptions, beliefs, attitudes and expectations. Each can affect performance and adaptability.  A cultural assessment can help determine areas that can inhibit mission accomplishment. This article lists the different techniques used in conducting a cultural audit and indicates how it can help guide corrective action. Continue reading →

#182 – TIPPING THE REPUTATIONAL SCALE – JAMES KLINE PH.D.

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aIMG_4231-150x150An organization’s reputation is important.  In the private sector it can account for twenty-five percent of its book value.  It can also make the difference between market dominance and slow decline. For government there is no good way to quantify reputation. However, having a good reputation may mean the difference between obtaining the needed funds and continuing to beg. Continue reading →

#178 – QUALITY AND INNOVATION – JAMES J. KLINE PH.D.

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aIMG_4231-150x150Introduction

In 2015, innovation was added to the Baldrige Excellence Framework.  While there is no doubt that innovation is important for an organization’s survival, a fundamental question is: How much does a quality improvement process, which is encouraged by the Baldrige Excellence Framework, contribute to innovation?  While there is no simple answer to this question, some indication can be seen in an examination of the focus of the quality improvement process and what happens to a company, with a reputation for innovation, when a quality improvement process is implemented.  Continue reading →