The constant evolution of today’s
corporate environment has prompted many questions on how we plan for business
resilience. Changing business dynamics coupled with the current economic
climate pose new challenges for business continuity management; while events
such as natural and manmade disasters we have witnessed this year push BCM to
the fore as organisations seek to protect their continual survival.
Most articles on BCM have
highlighted how an effectively structured and implemented continuity plan can
serve to protect high-value activities and stakeholder interest. We ignore how
BCM has contributed to overall business success and competitive advantage.
Artco solutions aim to offer an
insight into what in our opinion are the nine principles of BCM
1. Strategic orientation
BCM is a strategic initiative. It
should be integrated into the corporate strategy planning level. Top management
recognition and adoption of this strategic initiate is paramount to achieving
organisational excellence. The business continuity manager has a pivotal role
in establishing the competitiveness of the business through aligning BCM
processes strategies and plans to corporate policy and structure.
2. Leadership
Proactive business continuity
leadership ensures that reputation and business performance are sustained from
the moment disruptive event begins. It is important that business continuity is
introduced at board level since it enhances the organisation’s long term
competitiveness.
3. Governance
BCM is an important element of an
organisation’s overall approach to governance. It provides the impetus for
delivering and governing the resilience programme in the organisation and its
supply chain. It helps to establish the oversight capabilities required by
senior executives to carry out their responsibilities for ensuring that
effective management systems, including monitoring and control mechanisms have
been out in place to protect assets, earnings capacity and reputation of the
organisation.
4. Good Business Management
The management function is about
understanding the business philosophy, strategic objectives, corporate
structure and critical operations of an organisation. It challenges corporate
assumptions about threats and uncertainties, and facilitates greater certainty
in the planning and achievement of long term goals.
5. Multi disciplinary functions
It involves the skills and knowledge
of a diverse group of people in the design, implementation and management of the
programme. Management concepts in the field of strategy development, risk and
insurance, human resources, quality planning and control, and finance, are all
now essential parts of managing the BCM programme. The collective management
progress preserves the long term well being of an organisation and its
stakeholders, thereby facilitating business excellence. Core competence skills,
notably, organisational management, analyse, communication, leadership,
coordination, and innovation are the six fundamental managerial competencies of
business continuity professionals.
6. Anticipation
BCM is an active process which
helps organisations anticipate threats and perceive the potentially
significance implementations they could have for the organisations. This proactive
sensing mechanism helps to remove the potential risk systems failures and safeguard
mission critical operations.
7. Communication
BCM promotes transparent communication
within the organisation and amongst its stakeholders. A communication structure
based on BCM underpins the corporate governance and improves the information
flow to parties who require it for decision making, planning and
implementation. During a crisis, it demonstrates the organisation’s
transparency in dealing with the situation and reassures stakeholders. Such an
approach reinforces stakeholder relationships and enhances shareholder value.
8. Value preservation
Through BCM organisations are
better able to withstand the impact of crises or recover more quickly thereby
reducing the impact of loss and as a result preserving their overall value.
9. Evolution
BCM is constantly changing and
breaking new boundaries. One of the most common pit falls is that many regard
it as simply a ‘crisis and invocation’ process stemming from IT DR origins. However,
BCM has evolved significantly since then and is continually changing to meet
new business challenges. It now offers a means of competitive advantage and
gaining market share.
As business evolve BCM Mangers
must take up the challenge of aligning BCMN with organisational performance,
and promoting to senior executives the benefit it can provide in the context of
strategic planning and the delivery of corporate goals.
Artco solutions believe that by
training, exercising and rehearsing any organisation can make its plans, people
and processes more resilient to a crisis. ‘We call this managing with certainty’.
Our proficiencies reflect our strategic vision and ability to provide for the
needs of new and existing clients to continue operations in the event of a
disruption.
