COVID Public Policy Ratings – Australia 2020

The Evidence-Based Policy Analysis report for 2020 has recently been published by Per Capita, with a special emphasis on public policy responses arising from the COVID-19 ’emergency’. The authors conferred with Prof Kenneth Wiltshire AO, whose public policy business case criteria had been used in previous versions of this analysis, and he agreed to make… Continue reading COVID Public Policy Ratings – Australia 2020

Agile or Adaptive Governance required?

As non-profit organisations have increasingly moved to use adaptive strategy to address the rapidly changing and complex environment in which they serve their purposes, the question of how these strategic style shifts fit in the governance model arises. A ‘system of controls’ Much governance literature has promoted the view that governance is about establishing and… Continue reading Agile or Adaptive Governance required?

Risk borders, boundaries, and bridges

Learning from Others’ Mistakes – Part 9: Ruby Princess The Report of the Special Commission of Inquiry into the Ruby Princess (320 pp) offers numerous governance lessons for non-profit organisations as well as its target audiences in government. Notable among these is the heightened risk faced when multiple agencies and governance systems are involved. With… Continue reading Risk borders, boundaries, and bridges

Your personal COVID-19 risk bowtie

Preventive and response measures each of us can implement to manage COVID-19 threats are summarised in the header image above. (NB This chart is offered to illustrate use of the risk bowtie risk management tool, and readers are urged to always follow up-to-date local public health guidance). This is a follow up to my post… Continue reading Your personal COVID-19 risk bowtie

Adaptive Strategy

Continuous adjustment of strategy in the light of changing organisational context has been a recurring theme in my last three posts. This post offers something of a footnote to the earlier articles. The header image above provides a slightly different perspective on the ever-shifting point of decision. The time dimension is emphasised here in a… Continue reading Adaptive Strategy

Looking outward and inward

Non-profit directors are not usually spies. They do need to gather and analyse ‘intelligence’ however, to inform their governance activities. This includes monitoring the external environment and internal systems, processes and performance. Business intelligence software and dashboards are available commercially. While some non-profits will be able to afford these, most smaller entities will seek free… Continue reading Looking outward and inward

It’s not ‘catastrophising’ when the catastrophe is real !

So often, risk is narrowly defined as the “effect of uncertainty on objectives” (ISO 3100 2009), and ‘risk management’ as a collection of steps by which to reduce the likelihood and/or impact of a hypothetical future adverse event.  Risk avoidance and risk transfer measures, such as insurance, are instituted before the event as preventive or… Continue reading It’s not ‘catastrophising’ when the catastrophe is real !