The Factors Influencing The Enterprise Risk Management Practices and Firm Performance in Jordan and Malaysia

Abstract

Future of uncertainty and risks in firm businesses and country-based economics remains continuous processes that need to be managed effectively and efficiently. Risks taking is a routine activity in all firms. Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) has now become an ultimate concern and a robust risk management approach in all financial and non-financial industries and other sectors throughout the globe. Firms are adopting ERM as a holistic strategy by putting its core components in practice to effectively manage all risks to protect the organizations and stakeholder value. The process of putting ERM into practice is only effective and efficient through identifying the factors that influence its practice in order to improve the firm performance. As a result of this reason, various factors influencing ERM were examined by different investigators as an indirect factor or as a parameter. However, only a few scholars studied it as a major factor or main objective, despite the risks remain a major issue influencing the goals of enterprises in all firm types in both Jordan and Malaysia. In order to fully consolidate the influencing factors on ERM practices, a comparative review of the available literature in Jordan and Malaysia were carried out to excavate the key influencing factors for direct identification in order to improve the firm performance. The factors identified were categorized into three groups; the management-based, firm-based, and ERM-performance-measurement-based factors. Each group of factors was found to influence the success of ERM strategies and practices in both Jordan and Malaysia. Jordan (Middle-East) and Malaysia (South-East Asia) shared a common characteristic of ERM adoptions and practices with regard to firm composition and risk management. Both countries are now pacing up to meet up with ERM practice challenges. Although, ERM still is a relatively new concept in several parts of Middle-East and South-East Asia. Though, Malaysia proved to have more improved and established ERM success factors and researches as compared to Jordan. Additionally, Malaysia was found to have more appeared ERM terms in the Board of Bursa Malaysia (BBM) Guidelines as well as ERM practices under different sectors from 2008 to 2018 compared to Jordanian Amman Stock Exchange (ASE). Thus, it appears that Malaysia has more robust ERM research works, adoptions, practices, and compliance system in place compared to what is obtainable in Jordan. In conclusion, firm managers in Jordan and Malaysia are highly recommended to use these ERM factors identified as strategic and to improve ERM practices in their organizations.