Purpose – This editorial, the second of a two-part series, proposes a new measure of risk for analyzing highly non-normal (i.e. asymmetric and long-tailed) random variables in the context of both investment and insurance portfolios. The proposed measure replaces the p-norm-based definition of...

Purpose – The paper aims to explore a risk-finance context in which less information may be preferable to more information. Design/methodology/approach – Insurance companies collect a variety of information on potential policyholders to support two fundamental components of risk...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the roles of diversification, hedging, and a third risk-reduction process – “pacification” – in risk finance. Design/methodology/approach – After briefly reviewing the concepts of diversification and hedging, a simple mathematical...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the risk management practices of life assurance firms and non-life insurance firms. Design/methodology/approach – Through a comparative case study methodology, the study assesses the state of risk management in both life assurance companies...

Purpose – In this two-part series, this paper seeks to consider certain intriguing aspects of randomness, the basic mathematical concept used to model financial risk and other unknown quantities in the physical world. Design/methodology/approach – Part 1 applies concepts from quantum physics...

Purpose – This paper aims to evaluate the effect of risk on the financial policy of emerging market firms. Design/methodology/approach – Using data from 34 emerging markets during a 17-year period, 1990-2006, a panel data model is employed for the analysis. Findings – The results of this...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider the problem of allocating responsibility for risk through a simple classroom vignette that illustrates some of the difficulties encountered in more complex real-world scenarios. Design/methodology/approach – After considering a number of ad...

Purpose – This paper reports on the foreign exchange risk-management practices among Ghanaian firms involved in international trade. The study focuses on how Ghanaian firms manage their foreign exchange risk and the problems involved in managing exchange rate exposure. It also seeks to...

Purpose – To consider why the law of large numbers does not play a more significant role in determining an insurer's financial leverage. Design/methodology/approach – Insurer-group data show that there is little relationship between an insurer's premium volume and its overall leverage (i.e....

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the roles of diversification, hedging, and a third risk-reduction process – “pacification” – in risk finance. Design/methodology/approach – After briefly reviewing the concepts of diversification and hedging, a simple mathematical...