Exploring informal risk management practices in a South African public higher education institution

Abstract

Risk management has become a central component of governance within South African public higher education institutions, where formal frameworks are implemented to promote accountability and compliance. Despite these formal structures, risk management in practice often extends beyond documented policies and procedures. Limited empirical research has explored the informal practices through which staff manage risks in their daily activities, particularly within the South African public higher education context. This study therefore aimed to explore informal risk management practices employed in a South African public higher education institution. An exploratory qualitative research design was adopted. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 15 academic and support staff members involved in risk-related decision-making. A thematic analysis, incorporating open and axial coding, was used to analyse the data. Trustworthiness was ensured through credibility, dependability, confirmability and transferability measures, and ethical approval was obtained prior to data collection. The findings indicate that informal risk management practices are pervasive across roles and functions within the institution. Five key themes emerged, judgement-driven risk management, informal risk sensing, adaptive responses to policy gaps, socially embedded risk practices, and a learning-oriented risk culture. Participants relied on professional judgement, experience, situational awareness, peer consultation and practical problem-solving to manage uncertainty, particularly in contexts where formal policies provided limited guidance. Informal practices were found to complement formal risk management frameworks by enabling early risk identification, timely intervention and organisational learning. The study concludes that informal risk management practices are integral to effective risk management in practice. Recognising and integrating these practices into formal frameworks.