This paper develops a general frameworkfor analyzing corporaterisk management policies.Webeginbyobservingthat ifexternalsourcesoffinancearemorecostlyto corporationsthan internally generated funds, there will typically be a benefit to hedging: hedging adds value to the extent that it helps ensure that a corporation has sufficient internal funds available to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities.We then argue that this simple observation has wide ranging impli- cations for the design of risk management strategies. We delineate how these strategies should depend on such factors as shocks to investment and financing opportunities.We also discuss exchange rate hedging strategies for multinationals, as well as strategies involving "nonlinear"instruments like options.