RISK MANAGEMENT IN HR AND ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION-MAKING IN PUBLIC AUTHORITIES

Abstract

The relevance of the study is driven by the necessity to overhaul traditional reactive public administration approaches in Ukraine, transitioning towards a proactive capability-based risk management strategy under the pressure of wartime challenges and European integration requirements. The main objective of the article is to scientifically substantiate the theoretical, legal, and organizational framework for risk management in human resources (HR) and managerial decision-making within public authorities, as well as to develop actionable mechanisms for risk mitigation under crisis conditions. The research methodology is based on a comprehensive system of general scientific and specialized methods, including dynamic system analysis, comparative legal evaluation, structural-functional modeling, risk typology classification, and scenario planning. The results demonstrate that the institutionalization of risk management in Ukraine currently relies on budgetary internal control mechanisms (Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1062) and anti-corruption procedures directed by the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP). However, the practical implementation of international standards such as ISO 31000:2018, COSO ERM, and HM Treasury Orange Book reveals significant gaps between formal legal provisions and daily administrative routines. The study identifies that the digitalization of HR processes through the Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS) reduces administrative discretion and enhances transparency, yet creates operational risks of task duplication and data fragmentation when transitioning from paper-based records. Furthermore, the legal regime of martial law has significantly modified the risk profile by temporarily suspending competitive recruitment, which alleviated urgent staffing shortages but heightened meritocratic erosion, corruption vulnerabilities, and post-war legal dispute risks. The practical value of the study lies in formulating a set of recommendations for public managers, including the harmonization of municipal and state service legislation, the complete elimination of dual paper-digital record-keeping, the integration of financial and anti-corruption risk assessments, and the creation of structured post-war algorithms for restoring competitive selection procedures.