The management of inflation rate, interest rate and foreign exchange rate risks: A business executive outlook

Abstract

Inflation rate, interest rate and foreign exchange rate risks are relevant to enterprise stakeholders because they impact in varying degrees on the financial performance of enterprises. Business executives are expected to take reasonable steps for managing these risks and to rely on sound and innovative financial risk management solutions to meet the expectations of stakeholders in their enterprises. This paper aims at improving financial risk management practices by applying insurance principles to the management of inflation rate, interest rate and foreign exchange rate risks. To achieve this objective, the research paper focuses on the features of finite risk insurance and the perceived importance of these features when South African business executives consider strategies to manage the above risks. Finite risk insurance is classified as a form of alternative risk transfer (commonly referred to as “ART”) that relates to the point where insurance, banking and/or the capital market converge in an attempt to efficiently provide enterprises with sufficient financial capacity for protection against a variety of risks. The features of finite risk insurance are highlighted and the views of business executives regarding the importance of these features for the management of inflation rate, interest rate and foreign exchange rate risks are disclosed and analysed. The paper closes with recommendations to providers of financial services based on the needs of South African industrial companies to manage the above risks.