Following corporate scandals and the recent bankruptcy of large financial institutions, the public believes that one of the responsibilities of governments, regulators and corporate executives is to do business in compliance with basic ethical values. It is now acknowledged that there has been a general decline in ethical standards in the business world, perhaps due in part to a celebrity culture that overvalues wealth and shallow notions of 'success'. Ethics used to be discussed only by philosophers and academics, but it is now apparent to business leaders that companies wishing to survive into the future have to develop effective protection against exposure to 'ethical risk'. This Short Guide, written by a professional with diverse international experience in auditing and fraud prevention who has specialised in ethics-related issues, serves as a resource for all who need a more complete view of the subject and practical guidance to inform their daily business decisions. Providing an overview of the theories of ethics that bear on today's business world, from Adam Smith's liberalism to stakeholder theory, the Guide explains the human behaviour that gives rise to fraud and corruption in terms of a "fraud triangle theory" according to which unethical behaviours happen when three risk components - psychological pressure, opportunity and rationalisation - are present. 'Pressure' is linked to the unfortunate superstar culture, while 'opportunity' can be reduced through application of adequate control mechanisms and corporate governance models. 'Rationalisation' has to do with the ability of an honest individual to justify a dishonest action in his own eyes. Ethics bears directly on this component and an ethical approach can prevent such self-justification. The adoption of appropriate company cultures and corporate governance models, the selection and retention of ethically sound staff and implementation of fair incentive systems are all advocated by the author, who describes the roles within an organisation of the Audit Committee and the Compliance Function. Additionally, the Guide offers a range of tools that can be applied by practitioners in the field, such as codes of conduct, compliance programmes, whistle blowing procedures and risk management processes.

Explores the key political risks that companies have faced in the recent past, and current trends in the evolution of the political risk landscape; models and approaches for assessing political risk; and suggestions for organisational structures to ensure a coherent and consistent approach; as well as wider issues to be considered.

There is a growing awareness across both public and private sectors, that the key to embedding an effective risk culture lies in raising the general education and understanding of risk at every level in the organization. This is exactly the purpose of David Tattam's book. A Short Guide to Operational Risk provides you with a basic yet comprehensive overview of the nature of operational risk in organizations. It introduces operational risk as a component of enterprise wide risk management and takes the reader through the processes of identifying, assessing, quantifying and managing operational risk; explaining the practical aspects of how these steps can be applied to an organization using a range of management tools. The book is fully illustrated with graphs, tables and short examples, all designed to make a subject that is often poorly understood, comprehensible and engaging. A Short Guide to Operational Risk is a book to be read and shared at all levels of the organization; it offers a common understanding and language of risk that will provide individual readers with the basis to develop risk management skills, appropriate to their role in the business.

Using appropriate case studies and drawing on a growing body of international experience, Tony Morden analyses components of an Equality, Diversity and Discrimination (EDD) Agenda, and examines issues and dilemmas associated with it. He offers a strategic and performance-oriented overview of the issues of leadership, prioritisation, management process, managing architectures, applying performance and risk management concepts. Written from a scholarly perspective, but in a practitioner-oriented and reader-friendly manner, A Short Guide to Equality Risk provides a credible, strategic, and implementation-based overview of what is becoming a critically important, politically sensitive, and high risk subject.

Does your organization have a good or bad reputation, and who takes responsibility for it? Whether viewed as an intangible asset or potential liability, damage to reputation can be costly. In the private sector loss of investor confidence can dent corporate value; in the public sector loss of public trust can lead to political change. How can anyone protect reputation from damage? These are just some of the questions answered by the guide, designed for business leaders. Also covered is a debate about whether reputation is an operational or strategic risk, whether it should be noted in a risk register, and of course how best to measure reputation value. This guide will show you how to: - Identify the value of your reputation and mitigate risk of damage to this value. - Measure your reputation as an intangible asset and part of intellectual capital. - Manage the drivers of reputation effectively within your organization. - Report reputation risk management to inspire confidence among stakeholders. Reputation risk is relevant to not just Directors of Risk but also Communication, Compliance, and Personnel. Whatever your interest in the subject, A Short Guide to Reputation Risk provides a shorthand route to understanding the context and key features of this subject.

A Short Guide to Risk Appetite offers a three-stage approach to setting risk thresholds that ensures that the outcomes properly reflect organisational risk culture and the individual risk propensities of key stakeholders; and also clarifies the essential role of risk attitude as a control point.

In a competitive and increasingly internationalised business world, many companies rely on the high risk/reward ratio of operating in unstable areas. Those companies willing to engage in emerging or developing countries can often be exposed to a politically volatile environment over which they have little control. Political risk, therefore, is one of the most hazardous challenges that an international business can face. In A Short Guide to Political Risk you will find a business-centric introduction to political risk that will familiarise international managers with the concept and accelerate the learning curve towards proficient and coherent political risk management. Robert McKellar explores: the key political risks that companies have faced in the recent past, and current trends in the evolution of the political risk landscape; the concept of political risk and its constituent elements; models and approaches for assessing political risk; the principal options for managing political risk, and suggestions for organisational structures to ensure a coherent and consistent approach; as well as wider issues that a company needs to consider in developing its own attitude and philosophy on political risk. A Short Guide to Political Risk is an essential introductory guide for risk managers and for all senior managers concerned with their organisation's global performance and reputation.

Part of Longman's successful Short Guide Series, A Short Guide to Writing about Literature, Ninth Edition, emphases writing as a process and incorporates new critical approaches to writing about literature. The ninth edition continues to offer students sound advice on how to become critical thinkers and enrich their reading response through accessible, step-by-step instruction.Ideal as a supplement to any course where writing about literature or literary studies is emphasized.