I would argue that what the author describes is not risk management. It's a CYA game. Risk management is a part of project management.
Real risk management identifies risk and defines mitigations to bring the risk down to an acceptable level. Passing the buck doesn't address the true risk; it only addresses the risk of who is accountable.
Imagine a scenario where you need a new water heater in your home. One of the risks is that a bad installation is that the water heater overpressurizes and blows up. Saying, "I hired a contractor to install it" doesn't mitigate that risk directly. The appropriate mitigation is installing a pressure-relief valve. Hiring a competent contractor can be a means to this end, but it's not a direct mitigation. If you hire a licensed contractor you may pass off the accountability risk but you aren't addressing the over-pressure risk. The client (and author) in this article are confusing what risks are being addressed.
Real risk management identifies risk and defines mitigations to bring the risk down to an acceptable level. Passing the buck doesn't address the true risk; it only addresses the risk of who is accountable.
Imagine a scenario where you need a new water heater in your home. One of the risks is that a bad installation is that the water heater overpressurizes and blows up. Saying, "I hired a contractor to install it" doesn't mitigate that risk directly. The appropriate mitigation is installing a pressure-relief valve. Hiring a competent contractor can be a means to this end, but it's not a direct mitigation. If you hire a licensed contractor you may pass off the accountability risk but you aren't addressing the over-pressure risk. The client (and author) in this article are confusing what risks are being addressed.