CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANNING

As security consultants, we have the privilege of working for multiple companies and agencies around the globe, which gives us deeper insight into how businesses typically view, plan, and prepare for the unexpected. Too often, however, it seems we are brought into the security process in a remedial role, after an unforeseen and unprepared event and business continuity planning was not considered. In the current economy, many security consultants are encountering vulnerability within organizational supply chains, which, if disrupted, can have a substantial effect on an organization’s short and long-term ability to meet objectives.

Often, security consultants are left wondering at the shortsightedness of management groups that neglect to incorporate business continuity planning (BCP) into overall company strategy. Upon examination of the broader corporate spectrum, however, this gross operational oversight proves neither consistently isolated nor symptomatic of unengaged management. A lack of attention to continuity planning is currently prevalent throughout the business world, and is most likely a result of:

• The economy – Tight profit margins, rising costs, and an anemic recovery from the 2008-2010 recession necessitate that companies do more with less. Resources for planning are often difficult to procure.
• Short memories – Strategic planning is a forward-thinking process that often fails to include past lessons learned. As the time between significant events increases, memories fade, and so does the sense of urgency to mitigate associated risks.
• A lack of global perspective – The tendency to view the entire world based on the most familiar perspective can be a costly, albeit common, misconception. Companies must bear in mind that they do not provide the only solution or the only product, and competition will always continue to increase.

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