Journal of Research Administration

Abstract

Risk management has become increasingly relevant in public administration as a mechanism supporting governance, internal controls, and decision-making. This article analyzes, from theoretical and normative perspectives, the contributions of risk management to strengthening internal control in public administration, considering its relationship with governance and its effects on decision-making and the achievement of institutional objectives. The study adopts a qualitative, theoretical, descriptive, and exploratory approach developed through bibliographic and documentary research. The selected studies and frameworks were examined along three analytical axes: the relationship among governance, risk management, and internal controls; organizational factors associated with the effectiveness of these mechanisms; and the contribution of a risk-based approach to preventive administrative action and decision-making. The results indicate that effective risk management does not arise solely from the formal adoption of models and structures, but from their incorporation into organizational and decision-making processes. Five recurring factors were identified: organizational culture, staff training, assignment of responsibilities, continuous monitoring, and management involvement. The study concludes that integrating governance, risk management, and internal controls strengthens the preventive dimension of control, supports the anticipation of events that may compromise institutional objectives, and provides information for control design and decision-making. Its principal contribution is to systematize these relationships and identify relevant organizational conditions for risk management to move beyond formal instruments and become effectively incorporated into administrative practices.