White Papers

If a professional is at the same time “a hired hand” and “master of one’s fate”, how does an organization manage this paradox? How is it possible to ‘supervise’ the ‘hired hand’, yet ‘un-supervise’ to allow flexibility and judgment?

This provocative statement pin points the fundamental flaw the outdoor industry’s current Risk Management (RM) model is built on. Common belief in the outdoor trip leading world is that experience is a guide’s most valuable tool...

The emerging systems based approach to risk management planning has altered the way we conceive, organize and implement risk systems. The System Complexity Index Risk Analysis (SCIRA) is a tool to objectively measure the stability of an organization’s risk management systems, and provides a completely different means of interpreting and managing risk events. By measuring the parameters of coupling and complexity, risk potential can be approached from a ‘macro’ level, as opposed to the existing hazard based approach, and is of use to administrators down to field level staff.

A ten point Organizational Culture Matrix can help define your company's underlying assumptions and beliefs, but more importantly it can be used as a tool to lay a solid foundation when working with partners. In particular, Public Private Partnerships need to identify and manage key cultural traits to ensure partnership success.

This is an excerpt from the outcoming book Managing Risk. This chapter deals with the the Equipment Management System one of the key systems of outdoor adventure program risk management.