Essential Business MOOCs For July

Risk and Opportunity: Managing Risk for Development

 

School: The World Bank

Platform: Coursera

Link: Risk and Opportunity: Managing Risk for Development

Start Date: June 30, 2014 (4 Weeks)

Workload: 4-6 Hours Per Week

Instructors: Anca Marie Podpiera, Frederica Ranghieri, Kyla Wethil and Norman Loayza

Credentials: A consultant with the World Bank Institute, Podpiera was the research analyst for the institute’s 2014 World Development Report. An expert on European and Central Asian economics, she previously served as an Economist for the Czech National Bank. She holds a Ph.D. in economics from the Czech Republic’s Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education in Prague.

Ranghieri has spent much of her career working in climate change. A ten year veteran of the World Bank, she is currently Senior Urban Specialist, where she develops disaster risk management models for China and Southeast Asia. Before joining the World Bank, Ranghieri taught environmental policy and communication courses at the University of Milan. She holds several Master’s degrees, including ones in Economic and Social Studies, International Services, and Environmental Economics.

Wenthil, a World Bank economist, was the lead author for the 2014 World Development Report. A former member of the British Embassy in the United States and an Economist with the British Treasury Department, Wethil owns a MSC in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Loayza serves as the World Bank’s Lead Economist for the Development Economics Research Group, where he researches areas like private and public savings and the impact of natural disasters and crime on economics. Loayza, who oversaw the development of the 2014 World Development Report, earned a Ph.D. from Harvard University and has published over 40 papers in academic journals.

Graded: To receive a Statement of Accomplishment, students must maintain a 50% or better average on quizzes, a peer reviewed assignment, and a final project.

Description: Based off the World Bank’s 2014 World Development Report, this course emphasizes one key point: “Risk does not equal hardship.” In fact, avoiding action often reinforces poverty and creates even greater risks over time. As a result, students will learn risk management tools that lessen the downsides of changing establishing practices or launching new ventures. Unlike many courses, which look at various risk factors (financial collapse, natural disasters, etc.) in isolation, this course examines the biggest risks as a whole, including the potential opportunities and tradeoffs needed to foster sustainable growth. In addition, the course will examine the role of government and international institutions in averting crises and promoting long-term solutions.

The course consists of 24 video lectures, along with weekly writing assignments, quizzes, and an online game that allows students to develop a cohesive risk management program.

Review: No reviews available.

Additional Note: Students are encouraged to read the World Bank’s World Development Report 2014, Risk and Opportunity, Managing Risk for Development.