Why Managers and Companies Take Risks

The book answers a simple question: when managers and companies face a decision with two outcomes that are safe and risky, what leads them to choose the risky alternative? The answer starts with a detailed review of the theory behind risk and decision making by managers. The book then gathers real-world evidence using two surveys of senior managers and directors to analyse why they take risks, and how companies control risks. Integrating theory and evidence the book develops a model of risk taking that draws from academic thinking across multiple disciplines and the actual practice of experienced managers. The last section of the book discusses how managers can apply its findings to dialling up the required level of risk inside their firm.

Zusammenfassung
This book uses risk in its dictionary meaning as the probabiHty of an unde­ sirable outcome, and has two research questions: when managers make de­ cisions, what leads them to choose a risky alternative? and: what deter­ mines whether the decision proves correct? Answers to these questions form a model of decision making that explains the process and results of managers' risk-taking in the real world. There is an extensive literature on risk and decision making because the topic has been of interest in many disciplines since at least the 18^^ century. Thus insights on the research questions are available from studies of ani­ mals, humans and organisations; and have been drawn by scholars in biol­ ogy, psychology, finance and management. Even so, there is a large gap as most studies are conducted away from corporate settings and use subjects with limited decision experience. The few studies set in real-world condi­ tions tend to concentrate on just a single aspect of decision makers' attrib­ utes, setting and behaviour, and on either decision choices or outcomes. The empirical work in this book is designed to fill part of this gap.

Inhalt
Theory of Risk and Decision Making in Management.- Behavioural Evidence on Risk and Decision Making.- Real-World Decision Making Under Risk.- Risk-Taking and Organisation Performance.- Published Models of Decision Making Under Risk.- Why Managers Take Risks.- How Companies Control Risks.- Summary and Discussion.- Risk Budget Theory.- Conclusions.