Howard Kunreuther

• Howard Kunreuther and Michael Useem, Mastering Catastrophic Risk: How Companies Cope with Disruption (Oxford University Press, 2019)
• Howard Kunreuther, The Future of Risk Management (ed. with Robert Meyer and Erwann Michel-Kerjan). University of Pennsylvania Press (forthcoming 2019) (2019)
• Howard Kunreuther and Mark Pauly, Behavioral Economics of Multiperiod Insurance Purchasing Behavior: The Role of Emotions (NOW Publishers. Foundations and Trends ® in Microeconomics. 12(2):109–201. DOI: 10.1561/0700000069. 2018)
• Ajita Atreya and Howard Kunreuther (2018), Assessing community resilience: mapping the Community Rating System (CRS) against the 6C-4R frameworks, Environmental Hazards. doi.org/10.1080/17477891.2018.1549970
• Susan M Wachter, Howard Kunreuther, Carolyn Kousky, Michael Lacour-Little, Flood Risk and the US Housing Market.
• Marilyn Montgomery and Howard Kunreuther (2018), Pricing storm surge risks in Florida: Implications for determining flood insurance premiums and evaluating mitigation measures, Risk Analysis , 3, pp. 2275-2299. DOI: 10.1111/risa.13127
• Howard Kunreuther (2018), Improving the National Flood Insurance Program, Behavioural Public Policy. doi:10.1017/bpp.2018.26
• Howard Kunreuther (2018), Reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program, Issues in Science and Technology, journal of the National Academies of Science, 34 (3), pp. 37-50.
• Howard Kunreuther and Mark Pauly (2018), Dynamic Insurance Decision-Making for Rare Events: The Role of Emotions, Geneva Pap Risk Insur Issues Pract, 43 (2), pp. 335-355.
• Howard Kunreuther (2018), All-Hazards Homeowners Insurance: Challenges and Opportunities, Risk Management and Insurance Review. Special Issue -- Focus on Disaster Risk Financing, 21 (1), pp. 141-155.

Past Courses

• BEPP2610 - Risk Analy & Env Mgmt

  This course will introduce students to concepts in risk governance. We will delve into the three pillars of risk analysis: risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication. The course will spend time on risk financing, including insurance markets. There will be particular emphasis on climate risks, although the course will also discuss several other examples, including pandemics, biodiversity loss, and systemic risks, among others. The course will cover how people perceive risks and the impact this has on risk communication and management. We will explore public policy surrounding risk management and how the public and private sectors can successfully work together to build resilience, particularly to changing risks.

• BEPP7610 - Risk Analy & Env Mgmt

  This course will introduce students to concepts in risk governance. We will delve into the three pillars of risk analysis: risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication. The course will spend time on risk financing, including insurance markets. There will be particular emphasis on climate risk management, including both physical impact risk and transition risk, although the course will also discuss several other examples, including management of environmental risks, terrorism, and cyber-security, among other examples. The course will cover how people perceive risks and the impact this has on risk management. We will explore public policy surrounding risk management and how the public and private sector can successfully work together to build resilience, particularly to changing risks.

• BEPP9610 - Risk Analy & Env Mgmt

  This course will introduce students to concepts in risk governance. We will delve into the three pillars of risk analysis: risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication. The course will spend time on risk financing, including insurance markets. There will be particular emphasis on climate risk management, including both physical impact risk and transition risk, although the course will also discuss several other examples, including management of environmental risks, terrorism, and cyber-security, among other examples. The course will cover how people perceive risks and the impact this has on risk management. We will explore public policy surrounding risk management and how the public and private sector can successfully work together to build resilience, particularly to changing risks.

• ESE5670 - Risk Analy & Env Mgmt

  This course will introduce students to concepts in risk governance. We will delve into the three pillars of risk analysis: risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication. The course will spend time on risk financing, including insurance markets. There will be particular emphasis on climate risk management, including both physical impact risk and transition risk, although the course will also discuss several other examples, including management of environmental risks, terrorism, and cyber-security, among other examples. The course will cover how people perceive risks and the impact this has on risk management. We will explore public policy surrounding risk management and how the public and private sector can successfully work together to build resilience, particularly to changing risks.

• OIDD2610 - Risk Analy & Env Mgmt

  This course will introduce students to concepts in risk governance. We will delve into the three pillars of risk analysis: risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication. The course will spend time on risk financing, including insurance markets. There will be particular emphasis on climate risks, although the course will also discuss several other examples, including pandemics, biodiversity loss, and systemic risks, among others. The course will cover how people perceive risks and the impact this has on risk communication and management. We will explore public policy surrounding risk management and how the public and private sectors can successfully work together to build resilience, particularly to changing risks.

• OIDD3990 - Supervised Study

  This course number is currently used for several course types including independent studies, experimental courses and Management & Technology Freshman Seminar. Instructor permission required to enroll in any independent study. Wharton Undergraduate students must also receive approval from the Undergraduate Division to register for independent studies. Section 002 is the Management and Technology Freshman Seminar; instruction permission is not required for this section and is only open to M&T students. For Fall 2020, Section 004 is a new course titled AI, Business, and Society. The course provides a overview of AI and its role in business transformation. The purpose of this course is to improve understanding of AI, discuss the many ways in which AI is being used in the industry, and provide a strategic framework for how to bring AI to the center of digital transformation efforts. In terms of AI overview, we will go over a brief technical overview for students who are not actively immersed in AI (topic covered include Big Data, data warehousing, data-mining, different forms of machine learning, etc). In terms of business applications, we will consider applications of AI in media, Finance, retail, and other industries. Finally, we will consider how AI can be used as a source of competitive advantage. We will conclude with a discussion of ethical challenges and a governance framework for AI. No prior technical background is assumed but some interest in (and exposure to) technology is helpful. Every effort is made to build most of the lectures from the basics.

• OIDD7610 - Risk Analy & Env Mgmt

  This course will introduce students to concepts in risk governance. We will delve into the three pillars of risk analysis: risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication. The course will spend time on risk financing, including insurance markets. There will be particular emphasis on climate risk management, including both physical impact risk and transition risk, although the course will also discuss several other examples, including management of environmental risks, terrorism, and cyber-security, among other examples. The course will cover how people perceive risks and the impact this has on risk management. We will explore public policy surrounding risk management and how the public and private sector can successfully work together to build resilience, particularly to changing risks.

• Shin Research Excellence Award, 2015 Description

  Awarded by the Geneva Association and the International Insurance Society in recognition of his outstanding work on the role of public-private  partnerships in mitigating nd managing risk.

• World Economic Forum, Davos, 2007
• American Association of the Advancement of Science: AAAS Fellow, 2005
• Society for Risk Analysis: Distinguished Achievement Award, 2001
• Society for Risk Analysis: Elected Fellow, 1992
• Society for Risk Analysis: Outstanding Service Award, 1990
• Wharton Graduate Teaching Excellence Award, 1983
• Western Electric Fund Award, 1980 Description

  (with Paul Schoemaker and Paul Kleindorfer) for the program “Decision Sciences Applied to University Problems.” The award is given annually for outstanding achievements in the area of educational innovation in undergraduate education for business administration.

• The Crisis Issue, Brunswick Review - 01/17/2019 Description

  Interview with Howard Kunreuther and Michael Useem on findings from their book, Mastering Catastrophic Risk: How Companies Are Coping with Disruption.

• California Wildfires: What Will It Take to Prevent the Next Disaster?, Knowledge@Wharton - 11/13/2018 Description

  “We need to figure out ways where the State of California, insurers, utilities and residents can take steps to reduce these losses in the future.”

• Industry Looks For Hurricane Lessons As Climate Changes., NPR - 08/31/2018 Description

  Howard Kunreuther: “There’s a tendency for all of us — not just firms, but individuals — to be myopic,” he says, “to want to get something back in the short term to justify an investment. It often takes a disaster to get people to pay attention.”

• How to Fix the National Flood Insurance Program., U.S. News and World Report - 07/31/2018 Description

  Interview with Howard Kunreuther.

• No easy fix on flood insurance, but experts say options exist to improve program., NPR - 03/24/2014
• Maintain the Best Features of Biggert-Waters, The Hill - 03/06/2014
• Four Tips for Managing Catastrophic Risk, CNBC - 02/14/2014
• Disaster relief not flowing to flood victims, Pittsburgh Tribune - 10/10/2013
• Conservatives can make green choices, Climate News Network - 04/29/2013
• Rethinking Flood Insurance Post-Sandy, "Here & Now" WESA-FM (NPR, Pittsburgh), - 03/08/2013 Description

  Interview with Howard Kunreuther on the preliminary report by the commission set up by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo about how to deal with future extreme storms.

• "Moral hazard" & Sandy relief: Do federal funds invite disaster?, "Radio Times" National Public Radio - 02/26/2013 Description

  Critics of federal disaster aid contend that paying for building along the ocean provides an incentive for unsustainable behavior.  Marty Moss-Coane’s interview with Howard Kunreuther, co-director of the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center and Scott Gabriel Knowles, Drexel University associate professor of History & Politics.  (Audio: http://soundcloud.com/whyy-public-media/the-moral-hazard-sandy-relief).

• Improving Insurance Decision Making, Forbes.com - 02/12/2013 Description

  Op-ed by Howard Kunreuther and Mark Pauly, co-authors of Insurance and Behavioral Economics: Improving Decisions in the Most Misunderstood Industry.

• Climate and Risk Management, The Weather Channel, - 01/25/2013 Description

  From the World Economic Forum in Davos:  Jim Cantore interviews Howard Kunreuther, Wharton Professor of Operations and Information Management (video).

• Paying for Future Catastrophes, New York Times Sunday Review - 11/25/2012
• In a networked world, no longer controlling our own destinies, The Washington Post - 12/29/2010
• What the volcano taught me, Washington Post - 05/10/2010
• Overcoming our disaster myopia in Haiti, The Washington Post - 01/19/2010
• "At War with Ourselves", Risk & Insurance Magazine - 09/01/2009
• "Focus on Hazards and Climate Change", Natural Hazards Observer - 03/02/2009
• "Anticipating risks, averting the worst: 3 steps for natural disaster or corporate calamity", The Philadelphia Inquirer - 12/16/2008
• "Flirting with Disaster", Forbes - 02/11/2008 Description

  How long-term insurance can help homeowners in hurricane zones save money and protect themselves at the same time.

• "What Is the State of U.S. Disaster-Preparedness?" A Freakonomics Quorum, New York Times - 11/09/2007 Description

  Howard Kunreuther was asked by the New York Times’ Freakonomics blogger, Stephen Dubner, to respond to the question,”What Is the State of U.S. Disaster-Preparedness?” A Freakonomics Quorum.

• "Who Will Pay for the Next Hurricane?", Radio Station 99.5fm New Orleans - 09/07/2007 Description

  Howard Kunreuther is interviewed about his New York Times op-ed, “Who Will Pay for the Next Hurricane?”

• "Who Will Pay for the Next Hurricane?", New York Times - 08/25/2007 Description

  Howard Kunreuther authored an op-ed on financing the costs of natural disasters.

• SNL Interactive, Q&A: Howard Kunreuther, SNL Financial - 07/17/2006 Description

  The Risk Center’s Howard Kunreuther is interviewed by Thames Schoenvogel of SNL Financial about the history of the Risk Center and its current Natural Disaster Insurance Project.

• Insuring Against Terror, Pennsylvania Gazette - 07/01/2005 Description

  The Wharton School’s Howard Kunreuther spent four decades studying ways to manage the risks of floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, chemical accidents, and other natural and technological disasters. Then came 9/11, “the ultimate low-probability event.”

• Crisis behavior is a mystery - A new 9/11 study renews focus on why some act and others don't in an emergency, Philadelphia Inquirer - 05/08/2005

Knowledge @ Wharton

• Former Levi’s CEO on Revitalizing a Brand — and the Right Way to Wash Jeans, Knowledge @ Wharton - 04/23/2024
• Why Is Financial Literacy Important? | Olivia S. Mitchell, Knowledge @ Wharton - 04/23/2024
• From Amazon to Uber: Why Platform Accountability Requires a Holistic Approach, Knowledge @ Wharton - 04/22/2024
• Can Intrapreneurship Help Close the Racial Wealth Gap?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 04/22/2024
• CJ Handron, Co-founder of Diamond Kinetics, Knowledge @ Wharton - 04/17/2024
• The Impact of AI on Financial Literacy | Michael Roberts, Knowledge @ Wharton - 04/16/2024
• Why Staying in Your 401(k) After Retirement Makes Sense, Knowledge @ Wharton - 04/15/2024
• How Social Insurance Drives Credit Card Debt, Knowledge @ Wharton - 04/15/2024
• Can Intrapreneurship Help Close the Racial Wealth Gap?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 04/12/2024
• Understanding the Value of Networks for Mothers Reentering the Workforce, Knowledge @ Wharton - 04/11/2024