July 1997

Information Systems for Risk Management

Michael S. Gibson

Abstract:

Risk management information systems are designed to overcome the problem of aggregating data across diverse trading units. The design of an information system depends on the risk measurement methodology that a firm chooses. Inherent in the design of both a risk management information system and a risk measurement methodology is a tradeoff between the accuracy of the resulting measures of risk and the burden of computing them. Technical progress will make this tradeoff more favorable over time, leading firms to implement more accurate methodologies, such as full revaluation of nonlinear positions. The current and likely future improvements in risk management information systems make feasible new ways of collecting aggregate data on firms' risk-taking activities.

Keywords: Market risk, Value at Risk, risk measurement

PDF: Full Paper

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