ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 introduces the reader to the themes of uncertainty and risk, which are inherent and key determinants of business activity in modern enterprises. The chapter contains deliberations devoted to: (1) the history of research on uncertainty and risk, (2) different understandings of uncertainty and risk in management, (3) trends in the development of risks relevant to the activities of enterprises, (4) the directions of research on uncertainty and risk set by Nobel Prize Laureates. Thus, after reading this chapter, the reader will have an idea of what uncertainty and risk are, how they affect business activities and management processes and what types of risks occur in the activities of contemporary enterprises. The authors’ deliberations are based on an analysis of numerous, most important works of the scientific literature on this subject.
