A New Beginning

Okay... so I got feedback from my supervisor regarding my thesis outline. Although a lot of questions have been raised after our discussion, (I think) at least he approves the direction I'm headed! So hopefully this will keep the ball rolling. So now I'm confident in putting my research question up... here goes...

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INTRODUCTION

International development programmes and projects exist in a climate of significant uncertainties (Ika et al., 2010, Khang and Moe, 2008, Kwak and Dewan, 2001). The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) environment, in particular, deals with multifaceted organisational structures, wide-ranging mandates, numerous stakeholders, controlled resources and limited capacities (Terzi and Posta, 2010, Browne, 2011).

Concerned with the agency’s risk responsiveness, in its 2008-2011 Strategic Plan, UNDP advocated organisation-wide efforts on improving its risk management capabilities (UNDP, 2008). UNDP recognises the value of efficiently managing threats and calculatingly pursuing opportunities to achieve development results (UNDP, 2008). Concurrently, UNDP also acknowledges the challenge of integrating the practice of systematic risk management into its culture; especially in its country offices (Terzi and Posta, 2010).

In the context of improving programme outcomes, this research work attempts to provide recommendations for increasing risk management maturity. This study explores the extent of current risk management practices on selected UNDP Country Programmes.

RESEARCH QUESTION and OBJECTIVES

Question: How can UNDP improve its risk management practice to contribute towards achieving country programme outcomes?

Objectives:
1. To profile the risk management maturity levels of selected UNDP Country Programmes.
2. To find relationship between risk management maturity and programme outcomes.
3. To highlight areas of vulnerabilities in the current risk management practice.
4. To provide recommendations for increasing risk management capability.

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References

BROWNE, S. 2011. The United Nations Development Programme and System, Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, Routledge.

IKA, L. A., DIALLO, A. & THUILLIER, D. 2010. Project management in the international development industry: The project coordinator's perspective. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 3, 61-93.


KHANG, D. B. & MOE, T. L. 2008. Success criteria and factors for international development projects: A life‐cycle‐based framework. Project Management Journal, 39, 72-84.

KWAK, Y. H. & DEWAN, S. Risk management in international development projects. Proceedings of the Project Management Institute Annual Seminars & Symposium, 2001 Nashville, Tenn, USA.

TERZI, C. & POSTA, I. 2010. Review of Enterprise Risk Management in the United Nations System: Benchmarking Framework. Available: http://www.unjiu.org/data/reports/2010/en2010_4.pdf [Accessed 01 February 2012].

UNDP. 2008. UNDP strategic plan 2008-2011: Accelerating global progress on human development. Available: www.undp.org/execbrd/word/dp07-43Rev1.doc [Accessed 01 February 2012].