Risk mitigation strategies in Latin American higher education institutions

Autores/as

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17561/ree.n2.2026.9638

Palabras clave:

risk management, higher education, university, risk mitigation

Resumen

Risk management represents a relevant consideration for organisational survival; it similarly should be pertinent in higher education settings. Yet in contrast with other sectors (e. g. manufacturing), for which clear risk management parameters (e. g., risk drivers, risk dimensions, mitigation strategies) have been compiled and specified, conceptual frameworks for analysing risk management do not exist for university management efforts. The peculiarities of university management make it difficult to extrapolate conclusions reached in other contexts, highlighting the need to generate conceptual frameworks that identify relevant parameters and reveal the relationships among them. In pursuit of these objectives, the current study identifies and classifies potential risks according to the three main processes of university activity (i. e. teaching, research and knowledge transfer), as well as different management practices with the potential to mitigate such risks. An empirical analysis of the effect of these practices on risk reduction in turn identifies the most effective options.

Descargas

Los datos de descarga aún no están disponibles.

Biografía del autor/a

  • Washington Guevara-Piedra, Universidad Estatal de Milagro

    Washington Guevara Piedra is the Vice Chancellor of the Universidad Estatal de Milagro (UNEMI) in Ecuador. He is an experienced academic leader with a strong background in higher education management and institutional development. He has been instrumental in fostering academic innovation and research initiatives at UNEMI. His research interests include educational policies, strategic management, risk management and quality assurance in higher education. He has participated in national and international conferences and collaborated with various academic institutions to promote research and development. Prior to his current role, he held several leadership positions at UNEMI, contributing to its growth and recognition as a leading institution in the region.

  • Javier González-Benito, Universidad de Salamanca

    Dr Javier Gonzalez-Benito is a Professor in Management in the University of Salamanca, and member of its Multidisciplinary Research Institute (IME). His research focuses on operations management and environmental issues and he has published in journals such as the Journal of Operations Management, Journal of Management, International Journal of Production Research, Ecological Economics, British Journal of Management, International Journal of Operations and Production Management, or International Journal of Production Economics.

Referencias

Aljuhami, A. M., & Bamasoud, D. M. (2021). A survey of the impact of cyber threat intelligence on saudi higher education risk management. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 12(10), 156-163. https://doi.org/10.14569/IJACSA.2021.0121018

Amuya, L. O., & Kariuki, P. M. (2023). Organisational characteristics as antecedents of enterprise security risk management adoption in Kenya’s accredited universities. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2023.2235772

Amuya, L. O., & Kariuki, P. M. (2024). Organisational characteristics as antecedents of enterprise security risk management adoption in Kenya’s accredited universities. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 46(1), 1-17. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41284-024-00376-8

Anchundia, P. Q., Romero, X. V., & Perez, A. O. (2018, June). Risk management and process management in universities. Application in the University Laica Eloy Alfaro Manabí. In Proceedings of International Academic Conferences (No. 6408929) International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences. https://doi.org/10.20472/IAC.2018.935.039

Bamber, C., & Elezi, E. (2024). Enterprise-wide risk management in higher education: beyond the paradigm of managing risk by categories. Business Process Management Journal. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-05-2024-0409

Baryannis, G., Validi, S., Dani, S., & Antoniou, G. (2019). Supply chain risk management and artificial intelligence: state of the art and future research directions. International Journal of Production Research, 57(7), 2179-2202. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2018.1530476

Beecher, B., & Streitwieser, B. (2019). A risk management approach for the internationalization of higher education. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 10, 1404-1426. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-017-0468-y

Brewer, A., & Walker, I. (2011). Risk management in a university environment. Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning, 5(2), 161-172.

Browne, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1992). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. Sociological Methods & Research, 21(2), 230-258. https://doi.org/10.1177/0049124192021002005

Bubka, M. A., & Coderre, P. (2010). Best practices in risk management for higher education: Addressing the “what if” scenarios. Retrieved on June, 4, 2014.

Cameron, C., & Klopper, C. (2015). University lawyers: A study of legal risk, risk management and role in work integrated learning programmes. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 37(3), 344-360. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2015.1034423

Chau, P. Y. (1997). Reexamining a model for evaluating information center success using a structural equation modeling approach. Decision Sciences, 28(2), 309-334. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5915.1997.tb01313.x

Christopher, J., & Sarens, G. (2015). Risk management: its adoption in Australian public universities within an environment of change management-A management perspective. Australian Accounting Review, 25(1), 2-12. https://doi.org/10.1111/auar.12057

Davis. (2025). Academic Duties. Retrieved from https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/academic-duties

Dillman, D. A. (2000). Mail and Internet: The Tailored Design Method. John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.

Edwards, F. (2012). The evidence for a risk-based approach to Australian higher education regulation and quality assurance. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management 34(3), 295-307. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2012.678725

Fan, Y., & Stevenson, M. (2018). A review of supply chain risk management: Definition, theory, and research agenda. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 48(3), 205-230. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPDLM-01-2017-0043

Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800104

Hair, J. F., Anderson, R. E., Tatham, R. L., & Black, W. C. (2007). Análisis Multivariante. Prentice Hall, Madrid, Spain.

Hallikas, J., Karvonen, I., Pulkkinen, U., Virolainen, V. M., & Tuominen, M. (2004). Risk management processes in supplier networks. International Journal of Production Economics 90, 47-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2004.02.007

Harland, C., Brenchley, R., & Walker, H. (2003). Risk in supply networks. Journal of Purchasing & Supply Management, 9, 51-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1478-4092(03)00004-9

Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). (2001). Risk management: A guide to good practice for higher education institutions. Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Ho, J. K. K. (2014). Formulation of a systemic PEST analysis for strategic analysis. European Academic Research, 2(5), 6478-6492. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2015.1030467

Ho, W., Zheng, T., Yildiz, H., & Talluri, S. (2015). Supply chain risk management: a literature review. International Journal of Production Research, 53(16), 5031-5069. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2015.1030467

Hsu, C. C., & Sandford, B. A. (2007). The Delphi technique: Making sense of consensus. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 12(10), 1-8. Available at: https://doi.org/10.7275/pdz9-th90

Huber, M. (2011). The risk university: Risk identification at higher education institutions in England (CARR Discussion Paper No. 69). ESRC Centre for Analysis of Risk and Regulation, London School of Economics and Political Science.

Jarvis, C. B., Mackenzie, S. B., & Podsakoff, P. M. (2003). A critical review of construct indicators and measurement model misspecification in marketing and consumer research. Journal of Consumer Research, 30(2), 199-218. https://doi.org/10.1086/376806

Jesry, M., Alhaj Omar, F., Rashwani, A., Bark, I., Jammo, K., Ajam, S., & Kassab, Z. (2022). Exploring the value of a risk-management quality-assurance model to support delivery of quality higher education in the conflict-affected northwest of Syria. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2022.100134

Johan, M. E., Rizqon, M. F., & Suroso, I. J. S. (2019). University information system security risk assessment using NIST 800-30. International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering, 8(3), 8380-8385. https://doi.org/10.35940/ijrte.C6511.098319

Khaw, T. Y., & Teoh, A. P. (2023). Risk management in higher education research: a systematic literature review. Quality Assurance in Education, 31(2), 296-312. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-08-2022-0124

Kimmons, R., Veletsianos, G., & Woodward, S. (2023). Decoding academic integrity policies: implications for generative AI risk in higher education. Higher Education Policy, 36(4), 912-930. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-023-00290-x

Kinman, G., & Court, S. (2010). Psychosocial Hazards in UK Universities: Adopting a Risk Assessment Approach. Higher Education Quarterly 64(4), 413-428. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2273.2009.00447.x

Klochkova, T. I., Sbruieva, A. A., & Pshenychna, L. V. (2017). Risk management in the activities of a modern university: a comparative analysis of British and Ukrainian experience. Science and Education, 10, 13. https://doi.org/10.24195/2414-4665-2017-10-2

Kmiotek-Meier, E., Karl, U., & Powell, J. J. (2020). Designing the (most) mobile university: The centrality of international student mobility in Luxembourg’s higher education policy discourse. Higher Education Policy, 33(1), 21-44. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-018-0118-4

Malki, S., & Aldwais, N. K. (2019). Enterprise risk management at the state university of New York: A benchmark for Saudi universities. The Journal of Applied Business and Economics 21(9), 54-74. https://doi.org/10.33423/jabe.v21i9.2684

Martínez, R. (2016). Planeamiento estratégico en universidades de América Latina. Revista GUAL, 9(1), 257-277. Retrieved from https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/3193/319345197014.pdf

Okoli, C., & Pawlowski, S. D. (2004). The Delphi method as a research tool: An example, design considerations and applications. Information & Management, 42(1), 15-29. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2003.11.002

Porter, E. M. (1985). Competitive Advantage. The Free Press/Macmillan: New York.

Raanan, Y. (2008). Risk management in higher education: do we need it? Risk Management in Higher Education, 1000-1007.

Raanan, Y. (2017). Risk Management in Higher Education - Do We Need it? Sinergie, 78(9), 43-56.

Sánchez, M. (2022). La función administrativa del docente universitario apoyados en las tecnologías de la información y comunicación del Instituto de Admisión y Nivelación de la Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Ecuador. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar, 6(3). Retrieved from https://ciencialatina.org/index.php/cienciala/article/view/4997/7585

Seale, T. (2017). Factors influencing the decision to adopt an Information Technology Risk Management framework at universities in South Africa. Master’s thesis, University of Cape Town.

Setyadi, A., Pawirosumarto, S., Damaris, A., & Dharma, R. (2025). Risk management, digital technology literacy, and modern learning environments in enhancing learning innovation performance: a framework for higher education. Education and Information Technologies, 30, 15095-15123. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13380-4

Shanahan, P., & McParlane, J. (2005). Serendipity or strategy? An investigation into entrepreneurial transnational higher education and risk management. On the Horizon, 13(4), 220-228. https://doi.org/10.1108/10748120510627349

Society for Risk Analysis (SRA). https://www.sra.org. Retrieved 2 January 2024.

Syreyshchikova, N. V., Pimenov, D. Y., Mikolajczyk, T., & Moldovan, L. (2020). Development of a Risk Management Technique in Strategic Planning of Universities. Case study of a Polytechnical Institute. Procedia Manufacturing, 46, 256-262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2020.03.038

Tagliaventi, M. R., & Carli, G. (2021). The effect of service on research performance: A study on Italian academics in management. Higher Education Policy, 34(4), 812-840. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-019-00167-9

Tilak, J. B., & Kumar, A. G. (2022). Policy changes in global higher education: What lessons do we learn from the covid-19 pandemic? Higher Education Policy, 35(3), 610-628. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-022-00266-0

Veretennik, E., & Okulova, O. (2023). Of Performance and Impact: How AACSB Accreditation Contributes to Research in Business Schools. Higher Education Policy, 36, 758-780. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-022-00284-y

Wessels, J. S., & Sadler, E. (2015). Risk management in higher education: An open distance learning perspective. Southern African Business Review, 19(2), 74-98.

Yokoyama, K. (2018). The rise of risk management in the universities: a new way to understand quality in university management. Quality in Higher Education, 24(1), 3-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/13600869.2018.1425080

Publicado

2026-07-06

Número

Sección

TRIBUNA

Cómo citar

Guevara-Piedra, W., Gonzále-Zapatero, C., & González-Benito, J. (2026). Risk mitigation strategies in Latin American higher education institutions. Revista De Estudios Empresariales. Segunda Época, e9638. https://doi.org/10.17561/ree.n2.2026.9638