Risk management techniques and attitudes towards operational risk - A case study within the Swedish health care industry

Abstract

The Swedish health care industry is very unique due to the “free” services provided to its citizens from the public sector, which is in contrast to other private organisations. This shapes an interesting comparison in their attitudes towards risk and consequently their managerial approach towards the techniques they use to handle risk. This study investigates the relationship between these two organisations located in different sectors, private and public, in their risk management and focuses on how they might affect the whole decision making process in the presence of a potential risk that needs to be addressed. The empirical results have been constructed by collecting and interpreting data through in-depth and personal interviews with individuals in different managerial positions in two different companies, this is in order to give the study a well-rounded perspective. The authors of this study found that both organisations used basic and simple risk management techniques. Furthermore, another observation is that there is a slight difference in the attitudes towards risk between the sectors, where the private organisation seems to have a more risk-loving attitude whereas the public one has a more neutral view. However, a more surprising result is found within the organisations concerning an increased risk-loving attitude rising with the decision-makers hierarchal position.