§
Module Handbook
2024/25
Risk Management
School Leeds Business School
Level 7
Semester 2
Credits 20
CRN 36215
Module Leader Dr Greg Barnes
Email Address [Link]@[Link]
Communication Protocol: module staff will reply to student questions within a
reasonable time, but this will normally be within office hours only. Students are
advised to check this handbook and also to see if there are any online/noticeboard
announcements or FAQ answers that deal with their enquiry before contacting staff.
Introduction from the Module Leader
Hello and ‘Welcome’ to this module on Risk Management!
This module is used in a number of degree pathways across the Postgraduate provision in Leeds Business
School (LBS). These include:
● Corporate governance
● Supply chain management and logistics
● Management
● Business Administration
Just as there are several pathways that use this module, there are many ways in which we can address Risk
Management. This module is based on the textbook for the Chartered Governance Institute (CGI) core text
on Risk Management which is part of the reading list for the module. The CGI curriculum is focused on
Board Governance. This is a specialist area of corporate management mixing disciplines and using a range
of legal, ethics, strategy, and accounting skills. From that starting point we will focus on applying academic
knowledge to situations, and communicating the consequences to the organisation’s board level.
Due to the range of programmes that take this module, we will be referring to a variety of approaches to
risk, and different contexts within which risk is understood. It is hoped that through this diverse approach
to the topic, you will gain crucial skills and capabilities for your future career progression. To facilitate this
aim, we have broken the topic down into three main content areas: Corporate Governance, Strategy, and
Operations. Each overlaps, is influenced, and influences the risk manager in their important role.
The lectures will focus on Risk Management across the three aforementioned areas, and in seminars you
will analyse case studies that lend themselves to multiple angles of consideration. We have taken on board
feedback from previous student cohorts regarding the salience to different career aspirations and
industrial contexts. As a result, the specific cases we look at will be kept up to date and may include
current affairs and business developments occurring during the teaching semester.
The intended cases for discussion are:
1. Global supply chain disruptions and shortages
2. The Titan Submersible disaster
3. Aerated Concrete
4. Pizza Express
5. Barclays Bank
6. The use of Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies
7. Climate Change
8. Southern Water
9. Southwest Airlines
Mode of Delivery
There will be an online lecture each week on a Monday morning. This will be pre-recorded and available
for you to watch from 9am that day ahead of your seminars.
An on-campus lecture will extend and support the online recorded session.
Seminar sessions are scheduled throughout the week. You will need to ensure that you check your
timetable for the exact timing and location of each session.
In section 2 below you will find a summary of each week’s focused activity. You will be expected to attend
the lecture each week and to undertake the necessary preparation for class-based discussions . This will
include doing the background reading that will be issued each week.
During the tutorial sessions you may be split into groups and will be expected to undertake a discussion on
the issues raised during that week’s activity and from this to report back to the whole group on your
reflections and suggestions. This means that you will have to ensure that you plan in reading and
reflection time. The issues being considered are complex, can be considered from multiple angles and do
not have a black and white answer.
Module Aim
The module aims to develop skills in independent thinking and collaborative working as students analyse
and apply both the classic concepts and contemporary approaches to how strategy pertaining to risk is
carried out in todays organisations.
Module Learning Outcomes
1 Understand how to advise the board on the use of risk frameworks as a basis for appraising,
evaluating, and supporting risk management
2 Be able to critically evaluate approaches to risk management
3 Be able to critically evaluate the management of risk and provide professionally appropriate
advice to those responsible for governance
4 Understand how to critically examine the impact of the business environment on risk with
regard to legislation, policy and industry changes
5 Be able to critically evaluate the impact of organisational conduct, behaviours and culture on risk
management practices.
Module Learning Activities
The module strongly emphasises peer-to-peer learning. We therefore expect you to be an active
participant in this module, contributing to a positive atmosphere by questioning, sharing and helping
others, and engaging in meaningful discussions where we learn together. You will need to read each week
on the topic being discussed. Resources will be placed online to assist you, and each week you should
review the appropriate textbook chapter.
Regarding attendance, we expect you to keep on track by regularly attending class in order to benefit from
learning within a community.
Follow ‘MyBeckett’ and respect the module and course policies and general moral code of academia. Any
attempt to engage in plagiarism, or academic misconduct will be viewed dimly, and dealt with in
accordance with the University’s regulations.
Communication
The tutor will guide you throughout the course, providing weekly content, promoting and engaging in
discussions during seminars, and providing regular feedback and support.
During weekdays, your tutor will aim to respond within 48 hours to questions on the module content.
The Module Leaders are Greg Barnes, whose email is [Link]@[Link] and Ella Smith who is
available on [Link]@[Link]
All answers to common questions regarding assessment will be posted on MyBeckett for the benefit of
everyone. Please carefully read this module handbook before emailing the tutor.
You must notify your Course Administrator if you are absent for more than one day (for example for an
interview, emergency unforeseen circumstances, or for compassionate leave). If you are going to apply for
mitigation you will need to provide written evidence of the reason for your absence (see Extenuating
Circumstances and Mitigation for further information).
Please note: the module leaders are NOT able to grant an extension and you must follow the Extenuating
Circumstances route.
Contact Hours
Please see the specific support and contact hours for each seminar tutor on the module page.
Your timetable will have the lecture and seminar that you have been assigned. For reference, the lecture is
available online on:
● Monday 9am via the Module Page
The in-person lecture will be held each week on:
Thursday 10am in Calverley CL113
Greg Barnes will be holding ‘Office Hours’ for the module:
● Thursday at 1pm by appointment in the Rosebowl
Ella Smith will be holding ‘Office Hours’ for the module:
● Wednesday 1pm to 2pm on campus by appointment
Key Resources to Support Learning
The module has been built around the requirements of the Corporate Governance Institute (CGI) risk
management curriculum, and therefore we have adopted their core textbook which is available digitally
from the library. We are also using an excellent book on the Fundamentals of Risk Management that has a
good overview of enterprise level risks:
Ashby, Simon (2022) Risk Management. [Link]
Hopkin, P; Thompson, C (2022) Fundamentals of Risk Management, Sixth Edition. Kogan Page
[Link]
These textbooks are additionally supported by material from the University Reading List system that is
linked from the module page on MyBeckett. The week-by-week breakdown below outlines what basic
reading is required by students prior to the seminar. There will be more supporting material also available
on the module page that you can engage with if you wish to extend your knowledge
You will be requested to bring laptops for some of the sessions (either personal or borrowed from the
library) or we may utilise the university computer labs in the Leslie Silver Building for computer-based
work. Please ensure you pay attention to the module announcements and your timetable to stay up to
date with locations.
Disability Advice and Support
Disabled students requiring additional support or alternative arrangements must declare and provide
evidence of their disability to the Disability Advice Team as early as possible:
[Link]
Weekly Schedule
Week Topic Case Study Reading and additional resources for the seminars
Comme Companies
ncing
Date
Topic 1
ASOS, Brewdog, and
(27/01/2 Introduction to Risk Ashby (2019) CH1: The Global Risk Environment (p1 – 23)
Balfour Beatty
025) Management Hopkin & Thompson (2022) Ch 1 (p15-30)
Topic 2
Key Concepts & Risk Montgomery, C (2012) The Strategist Chapter 5 (p57-78)
(03/02/2 Standards Pizza Express Ashby (2019) Ch4 / 5 P61 -109
025)
Hopkin & Thompson (2022) Ch3 / 4 p42-68
Topic 3
Risk Management as a
(10/02/2 Ashby (2019) Ch6 p110-121
Foundation of Success Southwest Airlines
025) Hopkin & Thompson (2022) Ch14 p155-166
Topic 4
Risk Culture, Appetite Ashby (2019) Ch10 p190-210
(17/02/2 and Compliance Titan Submersible
025) Disaster
Topic 5 Ashby (2019) Ch9 p163-189
(24/02/2 Risk Identification Aerated Concrete in
025)
public buildings Rostami, A (2016) Tools and Techniques in Risk
Identification: A Research into SMEs in the UK Construction
Industry. Universal Journal of Management 4(4)
Topic 6 Risk Assessment and Aerated Concrete in Ashby (2019) Ch9 p163-189
Risk Registers public buildings
(03/03/2 Hopkin & Thompson (2022) Ch5
(continued)
025)
Topic 7
Risk Mitigation Ashby (2019) Ch12 p231-253
(10/03/2 Strategies Rave Coffee Hopkin & Thompson (2022) Ch15-18 p167-205
025)
Topic 8 Risk Monitoring, Leech, T; Hanlon, L (2016) Three Lines of Defense versus
Assurance and Five Lines of Assurance: Elevating the Role of the Board
(17/03/2
Reporting Barclays and CEO in Risk Governance. The Handbook of Board
025)
Governance: A Comprehensive Guide to Public, Private
and Not for Profit Board Members. Wiley, London.
Topic 9 Hopkin & Thompson (2022) Ch6 /7/ 8 p83-104
(24/03/2 Enterprise Level Risk
025) Management and
Organisational Risks Climate Change Risk Glette-Iversen, Flage, Aven (2023) Extending and improving
current frameworks for risk management and decision
making: A new approach for incorporating dynamic aspects
of risk and uncertainty. Safety Science 168
Topic 10
Next Steps for Risk Ashby (2019) Ch14 / 15 p274-307
(31/03/2
Management / Future Southern Water
025)
Trends
Topic 11
Risk Assurance and
(07/04/2 reporting in practice BBC Staff Behaviour Ashby (2019) Ch13 p254-273
025)
Topic 12
(28/04/2 Assessment Support
N/A N/A
025) Q&A
Assessment Summary
Assessment Method: Re-assessment Method:
Word Count: 4,000 words (3,000 report Word Count: 4,000 words (3,000 report
and 1,000 equivalent for risk and 1,000 equivalent for risk
register) register)
Assessment Release 09 March 2025 Assessment Release 09 March 2025 (making good
Date: Date: the same case study)
Assessment Deadline 6 May 2025 at 2pm (14:00) Reassessment Deadline 08 July 2025
Date & Time: Date & Time:
Feedback Method: Via Turnitin Feedback Method: Via Turnitin
Feedback Date: 6 June 2025 Feedback Date: 8 August 2025
Type / Component Weighting: Coursework 100%
Learning Outcomes Assessed: 1,2,3,4
Assessment Details
The coursework for this module is an analysis of a real company. You will then write a report about that
company as if you were reporting the risks to the company.
If you are on MSC Management, MSC Supply Chain, or the MBA Programme, you must analyse the case
study company provided by the module leaders.
The company we will be analysing this semester will be: Damart UK Ltd
The company’s information will be provided for you to analyse, and the material in this case study must be
used in your work.
Students on the ‘MSC Corporate Governance’ programme may choose to analyse the risk profile of their
employer. This is subject to approval by the module leaders.
Case Study Company
The case study materials will be available on the Module page w/c 9 March 2025 (Week 7).
The case study company has agreed to be interviewed for the purpose. The materials in the case study are
bespoke for this exercise and based on their current and emerging risk profile.
The case study information will include:
● An interview with the company’s representative
● Publicly available financial and trading information
● Contemporary current affairs materials relating to the company and the emerging areas of
uncertainty they are concerned with.
While I encourage you to read around the topic, the industry, and to do background research, please DO
NOT contact the Case Study company directly. They have NOT agreed to have students contact them for
this exercise and doing so will be viewed as academic misconduct.
Course Work Assessment: Written Risk Report (100% of module grade)
You have been asked by the board of the company to analyse their main risks and prepare a risk report.
This will entail four major elements, and offer a strategy for the company to respond to their risk profile:
For this assignment, you will need to:
1. Use a risk identification tool from the module to develop a structured approach to identifying risks
to the company. You must use (at least) the case study information for the identification process,
and ensure that the risks are SPECIFIC in nature. (around 1000 words)
2. You will use a Microsoft EXCEL risk register to record, assess, and prioritise the risks. The risk
register should contain between 20 to 30 risks, categorisation, assessment of both inherent and
residual risks, and any other elements you deem appropriate based on the best practices outlined
in the module. This risk register spreadsheet should be included in an appendix to the report. It will
be deemed to be ‘worth’ the equivalent of ‘1000’ words.
3. You will identify the top 5 risks to the company using your risk register. You will then write a
detailed analysis about these risks. This should include what they are, and why they are particularly
important, the exposure levels, justification for both the choice and the level of the risk. Use
Harvard referencing for any sources. This should be around 1000 words.
4. You should then develop a clear set of mitigation actions which the board can act upon. You should
include proposed Key Performance Indicators for these actions. Each mitigation action should be
clearly tied to the risks you have identified, and there should be an overall strategy to your
approach. (around 1000 words)
In the seminars, we will be working on examples and practice exercises that follow the same processes that
are used in the assignment.
Reference MUST be made to the academic content of the module and include the use of concepts detailed
in the reading list for the module. In particular, this should include the module textbook Ashby (2022) Risk
Management and Hopkin & Thompson (2022) Fundamentals of Risk Management.
The report should be written as if you were to send it to the Board of Directors. It should adhere to
professional standards of presentation and grammar. All tables and spreadsheets should be embedded /
cut & pasted into a single document that you are to submit through Turnitin.
The word count for this component is 4,000 words in total; 3,000 of which are the written report. 1,000
equivalent for the Risk Register.
Assessment Submission
The deadline for submission of this assessment is 14:00 on 6th May 2025. Please note that you can submit
this assessment before the deadline.
The Business School are operating a flexible assessment submission policy during 2024/25. This means that
if you require additional time, you are permitted to submit up to 5 working days after the deadline, without
late submission penalties being applied and without applying for an extension. This means the final date
and time for submission without late penalty is 14:00 on 13 May 2025.
If you require more time beyond the additional 5 working days flexible submission period, you can apply
here for an additional 5 working days (making 10 working days from the original deadline) or apply for
Mitigation to request to defer your assessment to the next module assessment period. Please note that
both a 10-day extension or mitigation request must be accompanied by appropriate documentary
evidence, for example a doctor’s letter and will be reviewed. Further information on the flexible
assessment submission policy and mitigation in general can be found here.
Student Instructions for Submission of Coursework
This module requires you to submit your work online.
You MUST submit your work through MyBeckett using the link set up by the tutor. Receipt of your work
will be recorded.
Your "Turnitin assignments" in MyBeckett can be set up so that you can check your assignment yourself as
you submit it. This checking is done by creating a "Similarity Report". If this report shows that there are
some problems with your work, such as un-cited quotations, you should be able to make corrections and
re-submit the work again before the due date. More information about Turnitin is available online here:
[Link]
Please note: Tutors will follow up any suspected breach of academic integrity found after the submission
date as per University policy. Late penalties will apply as per University Regulations.
To be clear, your module tutors cannot grant an extension for submission and you must instead follow the
process outlined above regarding mitigating circumstances if you are in need of more time to submit your
work.
Instructions to Students
Please read carefully the assessment and grade/marking descriptors overleaf. You should aim to evaluate
your own work against this rubric, and the rubric is the grading system that will be used by your tutors
when marking your work.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
The use of Generative AI is not permitted in this assignment. This is due to the particular nature of the
bespoke case study you are analysing. If you wish to use AI, and AI based translation or proofreading tool,
or other such service or product, then you must reference its use in your reference list at the end of the
report. Failure to do so may result in a deduction of marks.
Assessment Title: Risk Report Weighting: 100%
Criteria and 100-86% 85-70% 69-60% 59-50% 49-40% 39-30% 29-15% 14-0%
Weighting
PASS FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL
Research and Clear Clear Identification of Identification of The work is The work lacks The works lacks No reference to the
Analysis identification of identification of risks with risks with some weakly structure and structure and case study
risks with risks with correctly reference to structured with key themes key themes. materials /
30% correctly correctly applied research and points arranged company and
applied applied techniques and supporting and some key lacking an analysis.
techniques and techniques with supported by statements from themes Identified risks Risks identified
relevant research research and the case study. developed and are generic. are presented
detailed supporting the reading of the explored in a There is little without
research statements. case study. basic way supporting justification and
support. Linkages evidence for are generic in
Linkages
Linkages between the between the statements nature.
between the risks, the Linkages company and There is a lack of made or the
risks, the business/risk between the the business / clearly risks identified.
business/risk environment, company and risk developed Little analysis or
environment, and the the business / environment, identification prioritisation of
and the strategic risk and business processes and the risks that
strategic direction of the environment, strategy is techniques. have been
direction of the case study and business present. identified.
case study company are strategy is
company are clear. apparent. No company
clear and well research or Little research or
developed. Research and reference to the
commentary is contextualisatio
case study is n of the work
Research and clear and apparent and
commentary is unambiguous. completed.
material is
up to date, clear generic in
and nature.
unambiguous.
Comprehension of Demonstration of Areas of synthesis Areas of critical Demonstrable Lacking a clear or Lacking in the No use of concepts
Conceptual synthesis associated with the analysis are present understanding of highly generic justification of the Little to no or academic
Frameworks associated with the application of in dealing with conceptual conceptual work with relation reference to the content of the
application of conceptual and concepts and frameworks and framework, to theoretical concepts and module.
25% conceptual and theoretical frameworks used in concepts present in knowledge or frameworks and academic
theoretical frameworks and the module. the module. application of concepts of the content of the
frameworks and knowledge from concepts from the module. module.
knowledge in the the academic module.
academic field. content in the
module.
Solutions and Excellent solutions Excellent solutions Good solutions and Solutions presented Weak solutions that Very weak solutions Little effort to No solutions or
Rationale based on up-to- based on up-to- proposals based on are linked to have not linked to that do not address provide a effort to engage
date information date information relevant relevant debates. contemporary the key risks considered with this aspect of
30% that are presented presented in a information Mitigations are debates in risk, or identified and have response, or the assessment
in a professional coherent manner presented in a effective and some do not address the little linkage to the mitigations
and coherent that are linked to consistent manner rationale provided. key risks identified. module content. suggested do not
manner. Clear the theoretical linked to the match the risks
linkages to the content of the content of the identified.
theoretical module. module.
perspectives in the
module.
Format and The paper uses The paper uses The paper uses The paper uses The paper The paper is not The paper has Exceptionally poor,
Presentation a professional an excellent a good, an appropriate doesn’t use a structured as a little that can be or little effort to
level of recognised recognised recognised recognised Board report. considered to present the
15% presentation for format for a format for an format for a format for a relate to a board material effectively.
a board report. Board report. internal business report. Board report. The paper has poor report.
company report. or very poor No references
The paper has The paper has The paper has The paper has some citation and Poor or few provided.
excellent citations excellent citation The paper has good acceptable citation citation and references within citations and
and is referenced and references with citation and and references with references with a the reference list, references in the
following the clear reference list references with a reference list, reference list but with major gaps document with no
Harvard referencing following Harvard clear reference list with gaps following contains gaps following Harvard attempt to use
style (see referencing (see with minor gaps Harvard referencing following Harvard referencing (see Harvard referencing
Quote/Unquote). Quote/Unquote). following Harvard (see referencing (see Quote/Unquote). (see
referencing (see Quote/Unquote). Quote/Unquote). Quote/Unquote).
Quote/Unquote).
Guidance Notes A pass mark will be considered for those papers that follow the academic conventions A fail mark will be considered for papers that have little No (0%) or little
and material in the module to present a professional piece of work. This should relevance to the case study company, do not engage with the attempt made.
include a clear reference to the cycle of risk management, a risk framework, and academic material in the module, and fail to offer a coherent
include a complete risk register formatted using Microsoft Excel. risk strategy for the business.
Feedback on Your Assessments
Feedback forms a large part of your learning experience and is vital to your personal and professional
development.
Whatever your academic level, building on your feedback is vital. Noting and acting on feedback is key to
independent learning, continued progress and long-term success.
[Link]
Formative feedback will be provided ongoing through the module delivery in seminar classes. Each class is
based around an element of Risk Management that you will be expected to work on as part of your
assessment, and the seminars will give you a chance to receive critical feedback on your approach.
Summative feedback will be provided for component 1 directly following the presentation of your work.
There will also be written feedback offered through Turnitin. For component 2, feedback will be offered via
Turnitin.
Understanding Your Assessment Responsibilities
Extenuating Circumstances and Mitigation
If you are experiencing problems which are adversely affecting your ability to study (called 'extenuating
circumstances'), then you can apply for mitigation. You can find full details of how to apply for mitigation
at: [Link]
extenuating-circumstances/.
For students requiring 5-day extensions on coursework submissions, you do not have to apply for this.
Instead, you will be permitted to submit up to 5 working days after the deadline without incurring a late
penalty. This will be called the flexible submission period. Full details of this policy can be found here.
The University operates a fit to sit/fit to submit approach to extenuating circumstances which means
students who take their assessment are declaring themselves fit to do so. More information is available at
the above link and here: [Link]
awards/examinations/
Late Submission
Without any form of extenuating circumstances, standard penalties apply for late submission of assessed
work. Full details of the penalties for late submission of course work are available at
[Link]
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a fundamental principle within the University and is strongly linked to good academic
practice. All assessments must be submitted with due attention to issues of academic integrity, expression,
and good academic practice, including clarity in grammar, semantics and syntax.
Any suspected breach of academic integrity will be investigated by the University and could have serious
consequences on your studies. Breaches of academic integrity include (but are not limited to) plagiarism,
self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. Definitions and the potential consequences of an admitted
or found breach of academic integrity are detailed in the Academic Regulations at:
[Link]
There are a range of resources available to help you understand what is and what is not permitted and
how to use other people’s ideas in your assessed work. These include the LBU Academic Integrity tutorial,
which is available on Academic Integrity Tutorial for 2023/24 and the Skills for Learning website which you
can access here [Link] An Academic Integrity Factsheet
for Students is available to view at: [Link]
and-advice/academic-integrity/.
Your Feedback on the Module
A mid-module review will be timetabled into your module by week 5. This is an opportunity to resolve
modular issues promptly early on in the module. In addition, you will have the opportunity to provide
feedback formally at the end of your module. These comments will be reviewed by your course team and
some may be considered via the course monitoring and enhancement process, in which your Course
Representative is involved.