第1题:
2 The risk committee at Southern Continents Company (SCC) met to discuss a report by its risk manager, Stephanie
Field. The report focused on a number of risks that applied to a chemicals factory recently acquired by SCC in another
country, Southland. She explained that the new risks related to the security of the factory in Southland in respect of
burglary, to the supply of one of the key raw materials that experienced fluctuations in world supply and also an
environmental risk. The environmental risk, Stephanie explained, was to do with the possibility of poisonous
emissions from the Southland factory.
The SCC chief executive, Choo Wang, who chaired the risk committee, said that the Southland factory was important
to him for two reasons. First, he said it was strategically important to the company. Second, it was important because
his own bonuses depended upon it. He said that because he had personally negotiated the purchase of the Southland
factory, the remunerations committee had included a performance bonus on his salary based on the success of the
Southland investment. He told Stephanie that a performance-related bonus was payable when and if the factory
achieved a certain level of output that Choo considered to be ambitious. ‘I don’t get any bonus at all until we reach
a high level of output from the factory,’ he said. ‘So I don’t care what the risks are, we will have to manage them.’
Stephanie explained that one of her main concerns arose because the employees at the factory in Southland were not
aware of the importance of risk management to SCC. She said that the former owner of the factory paid less attention
to risk issues and so the staff were not as aware of risk as Stephanie would like them to be. ‘I would like to get risk
awareness embedded in the culture at the Southland factory,’ she said.
Choo Wang said that he knew from Stephanie’s report what the risks were, but that he wanted somebody to explain
to him what strategies SCC could use to manage the risks.
Required:
(a) Describe four strategies that can be used to manage risk and identify, with reasons, an appropriate strategy
for each of the three risks mentioned in the case. (12 marks)
第2题:
John Pentanol was appointed as risk manager at H&Z Company a year ago and he decided that his first task was to examine the risks that faced the company. He concluded that the company faced three major risks, which he assessed by examining the impact that would occur if the risk were to materialise. He assessed Risk 1 as being of low potential impact as even if it materialised it would have little effect on the company’s strategy. Risk 2 was assessed as being of medium potential impact whilst a third risk, Risk 3, was assessed as being of very high potential impact.
When John realised the potential impact of Risk 3 materialising, he issued urgent advice to the board to withdraw from the activity that gave rise to Risk 3 being incurred. In the advice he said that the impact of Risk 3 was potentially enormous and it would be irresponsible for H&Z to continue to bear that risk.
The company commercial director, Jane Xylene, said that John Pentanol and his job at H&Z were unnecessary and that risk management was ‘very expensive for the benefits achieved’. She said that all risk managers do is to tell people what can’t be done and that they are pessimists by nature. She said she wanted to see entrepreneurial risk takers in H&Z and not risk managers who, she believed, tended to discourage enterprise.
John replied that it was his job to eliminate all of the highest risks at H&Z Company. He said that all risk was bad and needed to be eliminated if possible. If it couldn’t be eliminated, he said that it should be minimised.
(a) The risk manager has an important role to play in an organisation’s risk management.
Required:
(i) Describe the roles of a risk manager. (4 marks)
(ii) Assess John Pentanol’s understanding of his role. (4 marks)
(b) With reference to a risk assessment framework as appropriate, criticise John’s advice that H&Z should
withdraw from the activity that incurs Risk 3. (6 marks)
(c) Jane Xylene expressed a particular view about the value of risk management in H&Z Company. She also said that she wanted to see ‘entrepreneurial risk takers’.
Required:
(i) Define ‘entrepreneurial risk’ and explain why it is important to accept entrepreneurial risk in business
organisations; (4 marks)
(ii) Critically evaluate Jane Xylene’s view of risk management. (7 marks)
(a) (i) Roles of a risk manager
Providing overall leadership, vision and direction, involving the establishment of risk management (RM) policies,
establishing RM systems etc. Seeking opportunities for improvement or tightening of systems.
Developing and promoting RM competences, systems, culture, procedures, protocols and patterns of behaviour. It is
important to understand that risk management is as much about instituting and embedding risk systems as much as
issuing written procedure. The systems must be capable of accurate risk assessment which seem not to be the case at
H&Z as he didn’t account for variables other than impact/hazard.
Reporting on the above to management and risk committee as appropriate. Reporting information should be in a form
able to be used for the generation of external reporting as necessary. John’s issuing of ‘advice’ will usually be less useful
than full reporting information containing all of the information necessary for management to decide on risk policy.
Ensuring compliance with relevant codes, regulations, statutes, etc. This may be at national level (e.g. Sarbanes Oxley)
or it may be industry specific. Banks, oil, mining and some parts of the tourism industry, for example, all have internal
risk rules that risk managers are required to comply with.
[Tutorial note: do not reward bullet lists. Study texts both use lists but question says ‘describe’.]
(ii) John Pentanol’s understanding of his role
John appears to misunderstand the role of a risk manager in four ways.
Whereas the establishment of RM policies is usually the most important first step in risk management, John launched
straight into detailed risk assessments (as he saw it). It is much more important, initially, to gain an understanding of
the business, its strategies, controls and risk exposures. The assessment comes once the policy has been put in place.
It is important for the risk manager to report fully on the risks in the organisation and John’s issuing of ‘advice’ will usually
be less useful than full reporting information. Full reporting would contain all of the information necessary for
management to decide on risk policy.
He told Jane Xylene that his role as risk manager involved eliminating ‘all of the highest risks at H&Z Company’ which
is an incorrect view. Jane Xylene was correct to say that entrepreneurial risk was important, for example.
The risk manager is an operational role in a company such as H&Z Company and it will usually be up to senior
management to decide on important matters such as withdrawal from risky activities. John was being presumptuous
and overstepping his role in issuing advice on withdrawal from Risk 3. It is his job to report on risks to senior
management and for them to make such decisions based on the information he provides.
(b) Criticise John’s advice
The advice is based on an incomplete and flawed risk assessment. Most simple risk assessment frameworks comprise at least
two variables of which impact or hazard is only one. The other key variable is probability. Risk impact has to be weighed
against probability and the fact that a risk has a high potential impact does not mean the risk should be avoided as long as
the probability is within acceptable limits. It is the weighted combination of hazard/impact and probability that forms the basis
for meaningful risk assessment.
John appears to be very certain of his impact assessments but the case does not tell us on what information the assessment
is made. It is important to recognise that ‘hard’ data is very difficult to obtain on both impact and probability. Both measures
are often made with a degree of assumption and absolute measures such as John’s ranking of Risks 1, 2 and 3 are not as
straightforward as he suggests.
John also overlooks a key strategic reason for H&Z bearing the risks in the first place, which is the return achievable by the
bearing of risk. Every investment and business strategy carries a degree of risk and this must be weighed against the financial
return that can be expected by the bearing of the risk.
(c) (i) Define ‘entrepreneurial risk’
Entrepreneurial risk is the necessary risk associated with any new business venture or opportunity. It is most clearly seen
in entrepreneurial business activity, hence its name. In ‘Ansoff’ terms, entrepreneurial risk is expressed in terms of the
unknowns of the market/customer reception of a new venture or of product uncertainties, for example product design,
construction, etc. There is also entrepreneurial risk in uncertainties concerning the competences and skills of the
entrepreneurs themselves.
Entrepreneurial risk is necessary, as Jane Xylene suggested, because it is from taking these risks that business
opportunities arise. The fact that the opportunity may not be as hoped does not mean it should not be pursued. Any
new product, new market development or new activity is a potential source of entrepreneurial risk but these are also the
sources of future revenue streams and hence growth in company value.
(ii) Critically evaluate Jane Xylene’s view of risk management
There are a number of arguments against risk management in general. These arguments apply against the totality of risk
management and also of the employment of inappropriate risk measures.
There is a cost associated with all elements of risk management which must obviously be borne by the company.
Disruption to normal organisational practices and procedures as risk systems are complied with.
Slowing (introducing friction to) the seizing of new business opportunities or the development of internal systems as they
are scrutinised for risk.
‘STOP’ errors can occur as a result of risk management systems where a practice or opportunity has been stopped on
the grounds of its risk when it should have been allowed to proceed. This may be the case with Risk 3 in the case.
(Contrast with ‘GO’ errors which are the opposite of STOP errors.)
There are also arguments for risk management people and systems in H&Z. The most obvious benefit is that an effective
risk system identifies those risks that could detract from the achievements of the company’s strategic objectives. In this
respect, it can prevent costly mistakes by advising against those actions that may lose the company value. It also has
the effect of reassuring investors and capital markets that the company is aware of and is in the process of managing
its risks. Where relevant, risk management is necessary for compliance with codes, listing rules or statutory instruments.
第3题:
此题为判断题(对,错)。
第4题:
材料:
It is not recommended that any person shall be allowed on the bridge or in the pilot house except the pilot and other representative of the canal,and master and such officers and other members of the crew of the vessel as may be necessary for its navigation and control,management,operation and safety.
Navigational aids are difficult to maintain and are reported to be unreliable in this waters.A considerable amount of shipping uses the canal and,in addition,many local fishing craft with nets may be encountered in the area. Since passage through the canal entails a run of more than 250 miles,long periods of considerable vigilance are necessary in order to maintain safe standards of navigation.
问题:
PILOT HOUSE is referred to ________ in this passage.
A.the cabin in which the pilot stays
B.the space which the rudder is located
C.the bridge of vessels
D.the cabin which is prepared for the pilot
SHIPPING is referred ________ in this passage.A.the operations of transportation of GOODs by sea
B.the procedures of marine transportation business
C.the management of marine transportation business
D.the vessels and ships
The person on the bridge or in the pilot house shall be those ________.A.who are recommended
B.who are familiar with the navigation.management.Operation and safety control
C.who are directly involved in the navigation,management,operation and safety control
D.who have nothing to do with the navigation,management,operation and safety control
The author implies that ________.A.even by making use of modern instrument it is difficult to maintain safety in this area
B.mariners should take it easy when navigating in this area
C.modern instrument should be used to control the safety of navigation in this area
D.it is dangerous when navigating in this area
请帮忙给出每个问题的正确答案和分析,谢谢!
第5题:
About ________ of the workers in the factory were born in the ________.
A.two-thirds, 1970 B.two-thirds, 1970s C.two-third,1970 D.two-third, 1970s
第6题:
(b) Explain the meaning of Stephanie’s comment: ‘I would like to get risk awareness embedded in the culture
at the Southland factory.’ (5 marks)
第7题:
Modern machinery()been installed in this newly built factory.
A、 have
B、 has
C、 is
第8题:
For the year just ended,N company had an earnings of$2 per share and paid a dividend of $1.2 0n its Stock.The growth rate in net income and dividend are both expected to be a constant 7 percent per year,indefinitely.N company has a Beta of 0.8,the risk-free interest rate is 6 percent,and the market risk premium is 8 percent.
P Company is very similar to N company in growth rate,risk and dividend payout rati0.It had 20 million shares outstanding and an earnings of$36 million for the year just ended.
The earnings will increase to$38.5 million the next year.
Requirement:
A.Calculate the expected rate of return on N company’S equity.
B.Calculate N Company’S current price—eaming ratio and prospective price-earning rati0.
C.Using N company’S current price-earning rati0,value P company’S stock price.
D.Using N company’S prospective price-earning rati0,value P company’S stock price.
A.The expected rate of return on N company’s equity=6%+0.8×8%=12.4%
B.current price-earning ratio=(1.2/2) ×(1+7%)/(12.4%-7%)=11.89
Prospective price-earning ratio=(1.2/2)/(12.4%-7%)=11.11
C.P company’s stock=11.89×36/20=21.4
D.P company’s stock=11.11×36×(1+7%)/20=21.40
第9题:
12. About_______ of the workers in the factory were born in the __________.
A. two- thirds;1970
B. two- thirds ; 1970s
C. two-third ; 1970
D. two-third ; 1970s
第10题: