FINANCIAL STORMS AND STRATEGIC STABILITY: THE ROLE OF FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT IN PROTECTING CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Authors

  • Aleksandra Shumar Euro College, North Macedonia
  • Emilija Andovska-Dina Euro College, North Macedonia
  • Frosina Nikolovska Euro College, North Macedonia

Keywords:

Financial risk management, corporate sustainability, Middle East, UAE, financial uncertainty, corporate governance, sustainable development, strategic management

Abstract

Financial volatility, shifting investment conditions, supply chain disruptions, inflationary pressures, and geopolitical concerns are all contributing factors to the current state of severe uncertainty in the global economy. As businesses try to safeguard their financial performance and ensure long-term growth, these circumstances have made effective financial risk management even more crucial. Businesses in the Middle East have both possibilities and challenges in this climate as they develop their strategic competencies and adjust to shifting economic realities.
Using the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a benchmark model for rising economies, this study investigates the function of financial risk management in safeguarding corporate sustainability in the Middle East. The study uses a qualitative approach based on secondary data analysis from scholarly publications, international financial reports, sustainability frameworks, and initiatives for economic development in the United Arab Emirates. The results show that through financial planning, diversification tactics, corporate governance, digital transformation, and responsible investing practices, financial risk management has evolved into a strategic tool that promotes business sustainability. (Fraser, J. and Simkins, B. (2023)
The UAE offers a crucial illustration of how companies can use proactive finance management to preserve business continuity and sustainable development. The UAE has built a solid foundation for long-term economic growth by lowering its reliance on conventional industries, investing in innovation, tightening financial laws, and promoting sustainable business practices.
The study comes to the conclusion that financial risk management should be viewed as a strategic opportunity for businesses to add value, boost competitiveness, and achieve sustainable growth in addition to being a reaction to financial threats. Middle Easterners can learn a lot from the UAE's experience.

References

Al-Mutairi, A., Alfraih, M. & Alanezi, F. (2023). 'Enterprise risk management and corporate sustainability: Evidence from GCC listed firms', Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 16(9), pp. 1–22.

Anton, C.E., Baba, C.M. & Bucșoiu, O.-A. (2025). 'Perspectives on integrating risk management and sustainability for financial performance: A systematic literature review', Sustainability, 17(8), 3456.

Brealey, R., Myers, S., & Allen, F. (2020). Principles of Corporate Finance. McGraw-Hill Education.

Brigham, E. F., & Ehrhardt, M. C. (2022). Financial Management: Theory and Practice. Cengage Learning.

Central Bank of the UAE. (2024). Financial Stability Report.

https://www.centralbank.ae

COSO. (2017). Enterprise Risk Management: Integrating with Strategy and Performance. Committee of Sponsoring Organizations

Dahmen, P. (2023). 'Organizational resilience as a key property of enterprise risk management in response to novel and severe crisis events', Risk Management and Insurance Review, 26(2), pp. 203–245.

Elmanaseer, M. & Gerged, A.M. (2025). 'How do institutional pressures reshape the association between corporate sustainability disclosure and firm value in emerging economies? The moderating role of the audit committee function', Business Strategy and the Environment, 34(6), pp. 7253–7283.

Fraser, J. & Simkins, B. (2023). Enterprise Risk Management: Today's Leading Research and Best Practices for Tomorrow's Executives. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Hillson, D. (2023). The Risk Management Handbook. 2nd edn. London: Kogan Page.

Hopkin, P. (2022). Fundamentals of Risk Management. 6th edn. London: Kogan Page.

International Monetary Fund (2024) Regional Economic Outlook: Middle East and Central Asia. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund.

International Monetary Fund. (2024). World Economic Outlook. International Monetary Fund. https://www.imf.org

Kaplan, R.S. & Mikes, A. (2022). Risk Management: The Revealing Hand. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.

Kutsch, E. (2022). Organisational Resilience: Navigating Paradoxical Tensions. Abingdon: Routledge.

Lam, J. (2024). Enterprise Risk Management: From Incentives to Controls. 3rd edn. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Landi, G.C., Iandolo, F., Renzi, A. & Rey, A. (2022). 'Embedding sustainability in risk management: The impact of environmental, social, and governance ratings on corporate financial risk', Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 29(4), pp. 1096–1107.

OECD. (2024). Business and Finance Outlook. OECD Publishing.

https://www.oecd.org

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2024) OECD Corporate Governance Factbook 2024. Paris: OECD Publishing.

PwC Middle East (2024). Middle East CEO Survey: Managing Risk and Building Sustainable Growth. Dubai: PwC Middle East.

Rashed, A., Wu, D., Abdelbaky, A., Elamer, A.A. & Mohsen, D. (2026). 'How ESG shapes the competition–stability nexus in banking: Nonlinear evidence from MENA', Business Strategy and the Environment. (If your journal allows 2026 early online publications.)

Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) (2024). Financial Stability Report 2024. Riyadh: Saudi Central Bank.

The World Bank (2024). Global Economic Prospects. Washington, DC: World Bank.

UAE Government. (2024). UAE Vision 2031.

https://u.ae

UAE Ministry of Economy. (2024). Economic Diversification Strategies.

https://www.moec.gov.ae

United Nations (2023). The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023. New York: United Nations.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) (2024). World Investment Report 2024: Investment Facilitation and Digital Government. Geneva: United Nations.

United Nations. (2023). Sustainable Development Goals Report. United Nations.

https://www.un.org

World Bank. (2024). Global Economic Prospects. World Bank Group.

https://www.worldbank.org

World Economic Forum. (2025). The Global Risks Report 2025. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org

Downloads

Published

2026-08-17

How to Cite

Shumar, A., Andovska-Dina, E., & Nikolovska, F. (2026). FINANCIAL STORMS AND STRATEGIC STABILITY: THE ROLE OF FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT IN PROTECTING CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. KNOWLEDGE - International Journal , 77(1), 51–54. Retrieved from https://ojs.ikm.mk/index.php/kij/article/view/8441