Business Impact Analysis - Essay Example

ing the postal system is the Office of Inspector General (OIG) whose chief officer reports directly to the Postal Office’s Governors and not subject to any supervisory jurisdiction to any other Postal Service in the country (USPS OIG: David Williams, 2010). Due to the delicate nature of the tasks, responsibilities, and accountabilities accorded all personnel working for USPS OIG, a business impact analysis is most useful in assisting management in determining which functions are critical to the continued operation of the organization.

According the its official website, the mission of the office is to assist in the maintenance of confidence through safeguarding the organization’s bottom line concurrent with undertaking both audits and investigations. It was specifically stated that “audits of postal programs and operations help to determine whether the programs and operations are efficient and cost-effective. Investigations help prevent and detect fraud, waste, and misconduct and have a deterrent effect on postal crimes” (USPS OIG: Mission, 2010, par.1). In this regard, the OIG is tasked with focusing on the following strategic goals which are considered relevant as giving direction to the organization: generation of revenue, improving and increasing the organization’s efficiency in performance, focusing on improvement of service, emphasis on a culture which focuses on the customers, increasing awareness on sustainability efforts, and regular monitoring and apprising on regulatory studies and obligations to report (OIG: Semi-Annual Report to Congress, 2008, 7).

Business impact assessment is one of the steps incorporated in business continuity planning. Since OIG undertakes audits and investigations, the initial step to identify critical areas that would ensure the accomplishment of identified objectives entails reviewing the STEEP (social, technological, economic, ecological, and political) factors that impact its operations (Van der Heijden, et.al.,