RISK ASSESSMENT AUDITS
Up to five years ago, quality was the primary filter through which American senior management reached decisions.  Customer satisfaction was the critical quality attribute.  Well things changed.  Cost and schedule overshadowed quality as the primary senior management decision filters.  First to market, first to critical mass, and other time elements became critical to senior management as they competed with other companies.

September 11, 2001 changed all that.  Risk and its management is now the primary filter by which management makes its decisions.  This is why risk audits will become more critical to organizational operations and homeland security.  All infrastructure and transportation must be risk managed and audited.

 ORCA is a common organizational risk assessment methodology.  Its principal elements are:

• Identify business Objectives
• Identify operational and other Risks
• Define business or other Controls
• Assess the effectiveness of the business process to satisfy objectives
• Obtain 'reasonable assurance'

The organizational risk management assessment is really a competitive and marketplace scan of what can impede and as well as accelerate the achievement of business objectives.  This is a critical point.  Risk management has both a positive and negative connotation.  We normally assume the negative – the mitigation of negative events or circumstances.  However, all business decision-making is based on smart risk management and analysis.  Once this is made, then management can develop its business model and execute based upon risk management criteria: being risk averse, risk sensitive or risk taking. 

Our specialists address risks in the following areas:

• Security and privacy
• Operations
• Project risk assessment
• Business continuity and disaster recovery
• Reliability and performance management
• Change management
• Work management

Once this risk assessment is conducted, senior and operational management can develop strategies to manage risks and execute business decisions.  Senior management can decide to:

• Avoid risk
• Mitigate risk
• Accept risk
• Share risk
• Diversify risk
• Control risk
• Increase risk