Analysis of Business Continuity - Assignment Example

Analysis of Business Continuity 1.The first phase of Business Continuity is Emergency Response. In developing, implementing, and maintaining a Business Continuity Plan, what would you include regarding Emergency Response? Although it is invariably true that emergency operations planning factors into business continuity, there is a broad differential with respect to which different organizations and business you implement emergency response and emergency response planning. However, taken on aggregate, emergency response and emergency response planning must focus on the “who, what, how, where” questions that help to define the means by which a firm can continue to operate in the eventuality that emergency actually does occur. For instance, the “new” question is answered with respect to the individual that is in charge of implementing emergency response and his signing within the organization (Hiles & Barnes 77). Similarly, the “what” question is with regards to which aspects of the firm or business entity/organization will be impacted upon and directed in the result of an emergency response. Further, the “how” question delves into the actual mechanics of emergency response and the means by which these will be carried out. Additionally, the “where” question refers to the actual physical location in which emergency response and business continuity operations will be affected. By engaging each of these respective considerations, firms are universally able to engage in emergency response preparation and planning as a function of effecting business continuity in the face of a disaster or emergency of some size. Although the preceding list is not exhaustive discussion of the way in which a business or organization should effect the responsibility, it helps to give a brief overview of some of the key considerations that must be made prior to any business continuity operations being delineated. 2.The second phase of Business Continuity is Crisis Management. In developing, implementing and maintaining a Business Continuity Plan, what would you include regarding Crisis Management? Similarly, the second phase of business continuity is necessarily crisis management. It is at this particular stage that many firms and organizations have evidenced a distinct weakness. Whereas it is relatively obvious that emergency response should be considered and engaged within the firm, the actual implementation of crisis management is oftentimes ignored up until the moment in which it is required. As a function of their understanding crisis management and delineating key compliments, the following section will be concentric upon analyzing the importance of timely, organized, structured, and planned crisis management. With respect to timely, the current era has witnessed a drastic change in the way the information is disseminated; oftentimes new stories can travel the globe engage with stakeholders within a matter of moments. As such, it is extraordinarily important that crisis management places a primary focus upon the timely manner in which they can address the crisis and seek to reassure the public and/or concerned persons that all possible tactics are being employed as a means of addressing the situation (Davison 250). Similarly, it is also extreme importance that the information which is provided to stakeholders is organized and structured. Within the realm of crisis management, one of the most effective techniques is to provide stakeholders with an overview of the situation and a summary of some of the alternatives and scenarios that are being engaged. Many firms make the mistake of merely representing the decision that is been made to the public without providing this in a structured or organized manner (Grijalva & Roy 570). As such, this oftentimes encourages the understanding that the situation is being handled by a group of people that have not considered all possible externalities and are not fully aware of the costs and benefits of each one. Finally, is absolutely necessary for crisis management to at least partially be planned. In the eventuality that a particular firm or organization works within a high risk/high dangerous environments, the need to consider the most likely externalities and most likely situations and how they would be responded to prior to them ever taking place is of the utmost importance and ultimately essential to the continued survival and success that the firm/organization might hope to exhibit (Glasgow et al. 148). 3.The third phase of Business Continuity is Business Recovery. In developing, implementing, and maintaining a Business Continuity Plan, what would you include regarding Business Recovery? Naturally, the end goal of business continuity is business recovery. As such, business recovery is specifically interested in providing an environment and resources through which the firm or organization can continue to perform its work; more or less unaffected by whatever disaster or emergency situation it affected such an organization/firm in the first place. As a function of developing business recovery in planning for it, key contingencies must be understood and prioritized. As such, those functions, job responsibilities, and systems that are vital for the day-to-day operations of the firm or organization in question will naturally maintain a priority over those that are not (DeChurch et al. 548). Additionally, where and how specific business recovery plans will be initiated will also be a primal importance for the entity in question to continue to service the needs of its clients. Further, secondary and tertiary backup plans with respect to business continuity and recovery operations should be defined, practice, and given responsibility as a function of creating a system by which an automatic response to certain key threats and/or emergencies is affected. Of all of the information that has thus far been discussed with respect to business recovery, the priority of operations is far and away the most important. Ultimately, without a priority level that can be given to each and every function/task that the firm or business organization performs, the level, extent, and speech which recovery can take place is drastically limited (tin Brinke et al. 58). 4.Though the recovery of business operations is a primary concern of a Business Continuity Plan, we cannot forget about the recovery of our people. Describe in detail how you would address this as a component of a Business Continuity Plan. Another aspect of business continuity plans that are oftentimes overlooked is with regard to human capital. Ultimately, many stakeholders become so involved in business continuity and recovery planning that they failed to consider the fact that whatever emergency or disaster might cause the business continuity plan and business recovery plan to be initiated may very well have negative externalities with respect to the potential for these human capital of whatever firm or organization might seeking to recover. As such, the first and foremost aspect of any business continuity plan or business recovery plan should place the protection of its human resources as a primary goal (Yoder et al. 353). Prior to business continuity operations being affected, it is absolutely necessary for each and every organization to ensure that employees are taking care of, their physical needs are met, and whatever threat or danger that could have caused the business continuity plan to be effected have satisfactorily been addressed/ameliorated (O’Sullivan et al. 542). Without proving that this human capital is of the foremost importance to whatever firm or organization might be seeking to affect a business continuity plan, stakeholders will not feel I incumbent burden to give all possible efforts to ensure that the viability and continued success/profitability/survival of a given firm or business organization is ensured (Davison 244). Once this fundamental aspect has been addressed, only then can business continuity operations consider the other externalities such as systems and processes that will continue to ensure operations can continue. 5.Once a Business Continuity Plan has been assembled it must be tested. Describe the various ways in which a plan can be tested and discuss which type(s) are most appropriate in an environment in which might develop a Business Continuity Plan. Another aspect of business continuity is oftentimes misunderstood has to do with the fact that many firms develop a business continuity plan and then do not pay any attention to the plan or developing the resources that the continuity plan has denoted as necessary. As such, there are certain fundamental and appropriate mechanisms through which a business continuity plan can be tested and analyzed. The first and most obvious of these is with respect training. By training individuals that will be involved in business continuity operations, or business organization is able to ensure that individuals within the organization fully understand their respective responsibilities. Additionally, And rules can be performed which will help to ensure that the way in which crises are dealt with corresponds to the mechanisms that are denoted within the business continuity plan (Lopez et al. 1510). Although it should not be expected that all potential and likely scenarios can be effectively engaged merely through a process of planning and training, seeking to regularly drill employees, represent the contingency planning that has been effected, and improve upon the process is one of the most effective means of ensuring that continuity planning maintains a primary focus within the firm or business organization in question. Works Cited Davison, Christopher B. "Selected Leadership Demographics As Predictors Of Continuity Planning." Disaster Prevention & Management 23.3 (2014): 243-251. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 June 2014. DeChurch, Leslie A., and Haas Craig D. "Examining Team Planning Through An Episodic Lens: Effects Of Deliberate, Contingency, And Reactive Planning On Team Effectiveness." Small Group Research 39.5 (2008): 542-568. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 June 2014. Glasgow, S. M., et al. "Going For Gold: Contingency Plannng”. Organizational Management 24.3 (2014): 145-153. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 June 2014. Grijalva, Santiago, and Ayusman Roy. "Contingency Analysis." IEEE Transactions On Power Systems 28.2 (2013): 1523-1530. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 June 2014. Hiles, Andrew, and Peter Barnes. The definitive handbook of business continuity management. Chichester, England New York: Wiley, 1999. Print. Lopez, Julio Cesar, et al. "Multi-Stage Planning Under Contingencies." IEEE Transactions On Power Systems 28.2 (2013): 1503-1514. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 June 2014. O'Sullivan, Tracey, et al. "“We Don't Have A Back-Up Plan”: An Exploration Of Contingency Planning For Emergencies." Social Work 51.6 (2012): 531-551. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 June 2014. ten Brinke, W. B. M., et al. "Contingency Planning." Journal Of Contingencies & Crisis Management 18.1 (2010): 55-69. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 June 2014. Westergaard, J. M. "Contingency Planning: Preparation Of Contingency Plans." Zoonoses & Public Health 55.1 (2008): 42-49.Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 June 2014. Yoder, E. Cory, William E. Long Jr., and Dayne E. Nix. "Phase Zero Contracting Operations--Strategic And Integrative Planning For Contingency."  Acquisition Research Journal 20.3 (2013): 349-372. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 June 2014. Read More