Which can lead to operational risk in a financial context?

In a financial context, operational risk refers to the potential for losses resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people, systems, or external events. Technology failures are a primary source of operational risk because they can disrupt critical operations and lead to significant financial loss. An example might include a system outage that prevents transactions from being processed, affecting a firm's ability to conduct business and serve clients.

When technological systems, such as trading platforms or client databases, fail, it can impede day-to-day operations, decrease productivity, create security vulnerabilities, and lead to regulatory non-compliance. This demonstrates the relevance of technology failures in operational risk, as the functioning of financial services heavily relies on technology.

Other factors listed, such as market competition and poor financial management, do not represent operational risks in the same direct manner. Market competition relates more to strategic risk, affecting a firm's market position and profitability, while poor financial management primarily points to risks associated with financial decisions and strategy rather than the operational processes themselves. Diverse portfolios serve to mitigate investment risk rather than directly incurring operational risk.