With Disruptive Technological Change and the Collapse of the International Rules Based Order, Is Public Sector Enterprise Risk Management the New Secret of Survival?

Service Category: Governance & Risk

Client Type: International Development Finance Agency

Service: Our client supported member states in the design and implementation of Public Sector Enterprise Risk Management (PS-ERM). It required an evaluation of the impact of its work. FJP’s Dr Jones led this research in six (6) member countries i.e. Eswatini, Botswana, Kenya, Ghana, Sierra Leone and The Gambia.

What we did:

We:
·      undertook a large-scale quantitative-style survey of 1500 senior public officials assessing organisational culture, governance systems and PS-ERM maturity.
·      executed in-depth qualitative case studies of a selection of public entities in each country.
·      analysed sector and country level performance.
·      scrutinised comparative outcomes across countries.
·      integrated capacity building as incentive for research participation.

Foresight Created:

We noted:
·      marked differences in the productivity of public servants in the various countries.
·      a widespread perception that PS-ERM stops at building risk registers.
·      an inadequate appreciation of the key purpose of PS-ERM in improving strategic decision-making.
·      the perception of risk management as a separate function and not (its real goal) of improving the performance of all entity decision-makers.
·      PS-ERM was often incubated by internal audit functions and frequently was slow to gain independence, resulting in role conflict and dilution of impact.
·      Entity-wide risk-thinking culture was often at an early stage of development – reducing the impact of PS-ERM.
·      the vital link between PS-ERM and the development and monitoring of national development strategies at the centre of government was often embryonic.

Our client:
·      published the research as its seminal book on PS-ERM to guide its 56 member states.