Risk management and its practical application: lessons from the British Army

This study explores, using predominately qualitative data, the risk management approaches of British Army officers in operational theatre. Risks within an operational context are particularly challenging for the British Army to manage due to external constraints such as its adherence to various rules of engagement and international conventions such as the Geneva Convention that consists of treaties that clearly articulate legal protection to be accorded to both civilians and combatants during war. The British Army’s centralised and highly structured control and regulation mechanisms are the product of over 300 years of traditions. Few companies can draw on this history, but we argue that the historical successes of the British Army suggest that contemporary civilian organisations have much to learn from the military approach to risk management.