Background on Enterprise Risk Management and Risk Management Data

Risk is created when there is some type of uncertainty. So what is considered a risk? The fundamental answer is anything that can create a loss for a business. This could be in the form of loss of revenue (the main risk that can be attributed from all other forms of risk), loss of shareholders, loss of property, damages from lawsuits, loss of intellectual property, and so on.

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and Risk Management Data have long been popular subjects in business organizations. All organizations manage risks and have a variety of existing departments or functions that identify and manage particular risks. The goal of ERM is to improve an organization's ability to manage the risks effectively and synergistically. You probably do this instructively in your day-to-day life. Each day, you make decisions and try to minimize risk in your own life (and in the lives of your family and friends). For example, you chose to go to work and earn a living, you chose to practice safe driving to avoid automobile accidents, you chose to eat healthy to avoid health risks such as heart attacks and cancer. These are all ways in which you are utilizing the fundamentals of risk management to live a productive and prosperous life.

The tools created by ERM are essential parts of every organization trying to weigh risk and opportunities. The following lesson will provide detailed information on the topics of Enterprise Risk Management and types of Risk Management Data. We will discuss why organizations concentrate on risk management, what tools are available for implementation to address the risk and opportunities, the value created by organizations involved in Enterprise Risk Management, and finally, the beneficiaries of the tools created by ERM such as the owners of a business, stakeholders, customers, etc.

Risk management data helps organize potential data risk with business priorities and expenses. Previous modules introduced you to a whole host of accounting tools and measures that can be applied to Enterprise Risk Management. In ERM, accounting tools, strategies, and systems are used to maintain, monitor, control, and plan the use of financial resources to minimize and mitigate risk.