18 Feb 2012 Tutorials

Questions for my questions...! Today's tutorials raised a lot of questions. But at least I somehow found some possible routes through the fuzziness of this research. I'm putting my current research question in a separate post.

Here I am just highlighting the inputs and questions I got from my supervisors:

Dennis:

1. UNDP Risk Management Process -- should risk retirement be included?
2. Step 4 and 5 in the ERM cycle (Action and Monitoring & Reporting) can be the potential focus of my research
3. Should the research be limited to CMM to risk management? Perhaps a more cohesive approach?
4. Can programme outcomes be related to risk management level? - There is a possibility that research will be inconclusive. There is a latency in between risk management implementation and seeing the programme outcomes.
5. A possible approach to the project is to look at parallels. Is the success of risk management in other industries transferable to the UNDP context?

Eddie:

1. What is UNDP's appetite for risk?
2. True commitment/implementation to risk management in UNDP might be nil!
3. Look into Prince2 strategies, UNDP has put in a lot of effort in 'benefits strategy'. Now UNDP is starting on 'risk strategy'... Look into this.
4. Perhaps a more cohesive approach to risk management? Balanced scorecard approach, taking into account benefits, quality, configuration etc?

Alec:

1. Possible approach for research is to look at end results, lessons learned and see where risk management could have been applied. Track back... reverse engineering(?)
2. Is the UNDP risk management framework fit for its purpose? How is it different from the framework of corporations? Is it the same?
3. What is so special about the risk management framework in UNDP?
• If the same, how can it be applied more efficiently?
• If different, how can the framework be tailored to the context of UNDP
4. Is there a discernible outcome where risk management is applied (or not applied?) in UNDP projects?
• If not, why not? Is it because risk management is not properly applied or is it because the framework/method doesn't work?
5. Suggest to first conduct study/research on risk management and the risk management framework of UNDP
• But! prioritise what data is publicly available, and what data should  be asked from Eddie.
• Availability of data is crucial!

Augh!!! I'm not sure if my research is getting fuzzier or clearer. So much questions to answer... so much work to do!