Summary:
ABSTRACT
Every kind of organization accepts and faces numerous of influences - physical, political, social / economic, cultural - that make its action and operation environment uncertain. The effect of this uncertainty on the achievement of the organization's objective is called 'risk'.
A school unit cannot be 'immune' to dangers, as it undertakes a great number of activities, such as teaching, pedagogical, research, social, economic etc. in a diverse range of sectors / fields and environments, which makes it vulnerable to a multitude of threats and opportunities for both itself and its members.
Understanding and managing the risks associated with these activities and with the environments in which the school operates, becomes a challenge and it is critical to preserving and protecting its name, its resources, and its operation continuance at local, regional or even at national level.
In the school unit environment, a wide range of risks can be identified, such as: health and safety risks at the workplace, financial risks, legal and compliance risks, moral hazards and research reliability which, in turn, determine important factors such as: school's reputation, school’s results, its ranking in the list of school units, research funding, available sponsorships, partnerships, public and political sentiment, student enrollments, staff ethics, community involvement, etc.
In order for the school unit to protect all the above important factors, a new branch of administration takes place, the Risk Management, which nowadays has become an integral part of any company or organization respects its value and work.
"Risk Management" is the process of coordinated actions that a company / organization undertakes to direct and control the risks that threatens it. In a few words, risk management is the process of handling any possible threat when making a choice.
The school unit is obliged to incorporate risk management into its operation, as it promotes knowledge and learning, being the key player in a country's education.
A successful risk management system includes: a hazard profile, risk assessments, risk treatment plans, monitoring and surveillance results, evidence of consultation and communication, good documentation through official records.
In order for the risk management to be effective, it must become an integral part of everyday practices and be integrated at all levels of a business structure, so that everyone involved in the process is aware of its role in identifying and managing the risks.
Risk management, in general, helps organizations become more efficient and productive, making them plan their future with critical thinking and deliberative decision-making.
Thus, the implemented procedures through risk management sometimes enhance the organization’s value, by helping it to achieve its strategic goals and sometimes protect its value by minimizing the impact of negative events, offering it a presence in perpetuity.
When risk management is effective, it remains generally unnoticed. On the contrary, when it is absent of a business’s operation or when it exists but fails, the risk is always visible with dramatic effects on the business and its environment.
Keywords:
risk management, school unit, risk, crisis, effects, uncertainty.
