The Recommendations & Plan To Enhance Business Continuity Research Paper

Table of contents:

Executive summary

1 Introduction

2 Business continuity and risk assessment plan for Aged Care

2.1 Risk analysis

2.2 System dependency mapping

2.2.1 Order entry

2.2.2 Order processing

2.2.3 Invoicing

2.2.4 Shipping

2.3 Maximum tolerable periods of disruption

2.4 Mean time to repair

2.4.1 The type of failure

2.4.2 Availability of replacement parts

2.4.3 Internal monitoring capabilities and skill sets

2.4.4 Availability of key internal personnel

2.4.5 Maintenance in place

2.5 Recovery time objectives

3 Resilience and contingency of business continuity

4 International standards of business continuity

4.1 ISO 22301:2012

4.2 ISO 22313:2012

5 Testing business continuity planning

6 Conclusion

7 References

 

 

Executive summary

Business continuity is crucial today and CalaKare should focus on the enhancement of its business continuity. In this regard, the enhancement of its information system can help to improve the information flow, while the information flow is crucial for the successful business continuity. If the information flow functions at the recovery stage, the company can conduct the recovery after any emergency successfully and keep its business progressing over and over again.

 

1. Introduction

At the moment, business continuity is one of the most important issues in the strategic business development of any company because business continuity contributes to the stable business development and steady progress of the company. Moreover, business continuity allows not only attaining business and strategic goals but also business continuity contributes to the implementation of the organization’s mission and vision. Therefore, business continuity lays the foundation to the stable and successful business development of companies. Today, companies have multiple options to development their business continuity strategy. In this regard, the use of modern software and information systems can help to maximize the effectiveness of the business continuity strategy of the company.

CalaKare is facing the problem of the lack of documented formal procedures to address business continuity issues. Therefore, the company needs to elaborate on the effective business continuity plan and assess current risks and threats that can interfere into the successful business development of the company and its operations. In addition, the company will need to enhance its business continuity plan to reach a positive marketing performance and prevent possible risks and threats that the company may confront. The effective information flow and adequate assessment of risks associated with the further business development of the company are keys to the successful business development and positive marketing performance of CalaKare. Therefore, CalaKare need to develop the effective business continuity strategy based on the adequate assessment of current and potential risks and the company should modernize its information strategy to introduce its business continuity strategy successfully.

2. Business continuity and risk assessment plan for Aged Care

2.1 Risk analysis

The risk analysis is the first step toward the development of the assessment plan and business continuity strategy for CalaKare that focuses on the provision of health and social care services for the older population. At the moment, the major problem of the company is the poor information processing and poor documentation of formal procedures. The accurate documentation will apparently help to enhance the information processing and contribute to the business continuity (Buchanan, 2000). On the other hand, the enhancement of the information processing will also contribute to the enhancement of the formal documentation and information sharing within the company.

At the moment, CalaKare has to focus on the major risks associated with its information processing and information flow to enhance its business continuity because risks associated with its information system and formal documentation. The following graph shows the information flow the company should have to maintain its documentation process, information processing, and internal business operations stable and effective:

Source: Koenig, K. and Schultz, C. (2010). Disaster medicine: Comprehensive principles and practices. Cambridge Medicine.

The poor formal documentation and information processing are vulnerable to the major risks and threats that means that the information flow of the company is exposed to the major risks and threats that interfere into its successful business continuity. In this regard, the major risk that the company faces is the risk of communication gaps at any of the four steps of the information flow of the company (Koenig & Schultz, 2010). Communication gaps raise the problem of the inadequate order processing and its further delivery to customers. As a result, the company faces the problem of the failure to match needs of customers.  For example, the company may assess key health issues affecting their customer properly but fail to transfer that information properly to health care professionals working directly with the client. Hence, the client fails to receive health or social care services, which he/she needs.

Furthermore, the company faces the risk of information breaches, when the information relevant to its clients may become available to the third parties. In fact, this problem also raises the problem of the violation of customers’ privacy right, which CalaKare has to protect as the provider of health care services. The private information of the company’s customers should be fully protected, whereas the poor documented information processing can raise the problem of information breaches and identity thefts (Coppola, 2007). As a result, customers of the company can feel being insecure, while using its services. In a long run, this risk may threaten to the competitive position of the company in the market.

2.2 System dependency mapping

2.2.1 Order entry

The order entry is the crucial element of the information flow within the company, which has to be documented formally accurately. The order entry involves the registration of customers and obtaining the formal information of them essential for the company and provision of basic health and social care services, which they expect from CalaKare. To put it more precisely, as the company provides health and social services for older patients, the company should register each patient and obtained detailed information on the health history of the patient (Pinkowski, 2008). This information is essential for obtaining the full information about patients to deliver them health and social services to customers. If health care professionals do not obtain detailed information on each customer, they are unable to treat them properly and effectively. Instead, the registration of patients will help to obtain the accurate information on each patient. More important, the company is able to trace changes and treatment of each patient.

Furthermore, the registration of each patient helps the company to manage the information on each patient effectively and succinctly (Powers & Daily, 2010). As older patients have special needs compared to other patients, such as the higher risk of chronic health problems, more numerous health problems compared to younger patients, and other issues, the registration of each patient and further recording of health history of each patient allows the company to compile the full, succinct and detailed health history of each customer.

Moreover, the company can manage its resources and personnel to deliver full health and social services to all customers because all order entries will be available to the company and its health care professionals will be able to focus on the provision of all essential services to all customers. Order entries allow the company to manage the information related to each customer further on. Therefore, the risk of communication gaps or misinterpretation of the information related to each customer decreases.

2.2.2 Order processing

The order processing is another important step of the information flow which requires succinct formal documentation and fast information processing. In case of CalaKara, the order processing involves the diagnosis of patients, examination, testing and other procedures required for succinct diagnosing and obtaining detailed information on each patient. Customers should refer to the company and after registering, they should undergo all the procedures, while health care professionals will make the accurate diagnosis for each patient (Emergency Management Australia Manual Series 1998). In such a way, the company will be able to determine the diagnosis for each patient and prepare the treatment plan for each customer. In addition, the company will be able to determine which resources are needed for the provision of basic health and social care services for each customer.

At this stage, the risk of errors is extremely dangerous because it can put under a threat not only the effectiveness of the treatment plan and the quality of services delivered to customers. At the same time, the information obtained at the previous stage, i.e. at registering stage, is essential for the accurate diagnosis and processing of the information relevant to the current condition of patients and their health problems. As a result, health care professionals working in CalaKare should be able to provide health care services of the high quality based on the accurate diagnosis and detailed information on each customer. At this point, the quality of information processing is crucial for the overall effectiveness of the information processing and adequate assessment and diagnosis of each customer.

2.2.3 Invoicing

The next step is invoicing, which involves the transaction of money from customers to the company for health and social services, which customers are going to receive from the company. Customers cover the price of health and social services, which they receive from the company. In this regard, the company needs the accurate documentation to provide customers with the detailed information on every payment they make and costs of health and social services provided by the company.

In addition, the company has to cooperate with health insurance companies because insured patients may need to communicate with their insurance companies as well as insurance companies may need to have the detailed information on health care costs of their clients. On the other hand, CalaKare still cannot uncover the private information of its customers (Hogan & Burnstein, 2007). In other words, the company cannot provide insurance companies with the information on the condition of health of its patients. Therefore, the information system of the company should process the information on costs of health services for customers and insurance companies in such a way, that insurance companies could not uncover the private information of customers of the company.

Furthermore, CalaKara should focus on the development of the information system that can process health care and social services costs automatically. The automation of invoicing processes helps the company to increase the accuracy of transactions and information processing concerning costs of health and social services delivered by the company to its customers. What is more, the automation of transactions and information processing concerning costs of the company’s services can help to develop effective system of transactions, where the transaction time is minimized and customers can receive services as soon as possible.

2.2.4 Shipping

Shipping or delivery of services is another important stage of the information processing that is essential for the business continuity. The failure of the delivery of services to customers breaks up the information flow and creates communication gaps that prevent the company from the effective information processing. The delivery of services from CalaKare to customers is an essential step to complete the information flow from the company to customers. In such a way, the development of the effective information processing at the final stage of the information flow is essential for the development of the effective information system that contributes to the business continuity in the company’s business development.

In case of CalaKare, the treatment and rehabilitation comprise services that the company has to delivery to its customers. The treatment and rehabilitation of customers is a very responsible process that should involve the accurate documentation of all procedures and treatment plans. In actuality, CalaKare fails to attain the high level of accuracy in the documentation of the treatment and rehabilitation services that leads to the problem of the communication gaps between the company and clients at the final stage of the communication flow.  The enhancement of the company’s information system could have helped to resolve this problem and facilitate information sharing and communication between the company and customers.

In fact, it is possible to recommend CalaKare using electronic health records which can resolve not only the problem of the poor information processing. In such a way, the company can maintain the effective information processing using electronic health records of its patients, which contain not only health-related information but also the information concerning costs of health services and other issues related to the treatment of patients and their rehabilitation.

2.3 Maximum tolerable periods of disruption

Maximum tolerable periods of disruption are the total time a business process can be inoperative before a business suffers irreparable harm (Ciottone, 2006). In such a way, maximum  tolerable periods of disruption are the time before the information system of the company or its part shuts down or suffers irreparable harm. This period is very important for the prevention of the data loss and prevention of harms to the company’s database and information that may be available from the company’s database. The company should normally focus on the prolonging this time before the system shut down because, in such a way, the company can either save important data, repair its information system or a part of it, which suffers damages or malfunction that prevents the entire system of its part from normal functioning and operations. Hence, the inoperative time of the information system or a part of it is the time, when the company can save the data or repair the system. This is why the company should use this time effectively and prolong this time, as long as possible to postpone the shutdown of the system.

On the other hand, the inoperative time should be used effectively and it should not last too long. Otherwise, the company will be unable to perform important functions. Customers may also face considerable problems, if the system remains inoperative for too long. As a result, CalaKare should balance its maximum  tolerable periods of disruption to ensure that any failures of its information system are repaired fast and the system will not shut down too fast before it can be repaired.

As a rule, researchers recommend to balance the cycle time, which represents the period necessary to complete a single iteration of the affected business process from the point of failure. The steady recovery of the process is an essential step, when the company has failed to prevent its shutdown. In this respect, CalaKare should minimize the time of the cycle to ensure that the system is repaired fast and can restart its operations successfully in possibly shorter time after the failure of its part or the entire system (Antosia & Cahill, 2006). In such a way, the company should manage its maximum  tolerable periods of disruption to ensure that the disruption of the system is short run and the company can restart its operations as soon as possible and customers will not suffer inconveniences associated with problems of malfunctioning or shutdown of the information system of the company or its part. CalaKare should elaborate effective solutions that can help the company to use the time effectively to recover the system as soon as possible.

2.4 Mean time to repair

The mean time to repair is crucial for the effective management of failures of the information processing and information system. The meantime to repair is the average time required to return a failed step in a process to normal operation (Hogan & Burnstein, 2007). The mean time of repair depends on multiple factors, including the type of failure, availability of replacement parts, internal monitoring capabilities and skill sets, availability of key internal personnel, and maintenance in place.

2.4.1 The type of failure

The type of failure is important for the recovery of the system. In fact, some failures are easier to recover than others. CalaKare should come prepared to deal with diverse failures but the first step to the recovery is the adequate and succinct identification of the type of the failure. Different failures of the information system can lead to different effects and influence the documentation process in different ways. For example, the shutdown of the electricity supply may lead to the loss of electronic documents, if they have not been saved before the electricity shutdown. In such a situation, CalaKare should conduct the adequate analysis of available risks and threats and develop the emergency management plan that can help the company to deal with diverse types of failures.

In this regard, it is possible to recommend dividing all threats into three groups, depending on the severity of their impact on business performance and business continuity of the company: minor failures, serious failures, major failures. Minor failures are the least harmful failures that may be easily localized and such issues should be resolved at the local level of the particular unit, where the failure occurs. For example, if CalaKare’s employee cannot register a new patient because of the damaged cable that caused the shutdown of a PC used for the registration of patients, then the staff can just use alternative PCs connected to the network. Serious failures are failures that affect the functioning and operations at all steps of the information flow, for example, and cannot be repaired by efforts of one unit of the company but need the coordination of other units and resolution is achieved at the organizational level only, i.e. when the company has to mobilize its resources to recover after the failure. As for the major failure, these failures require the external assistance and paralyze the functioning of the company. The company cannot recover after such failures on its own and needs the external assistance. For example, a natural disaster, such as earthquake, or hurricane, or fire, can damage not only facilities of the company but also the local infrastructure and transportation system. As a result, the company will be unable to deliver and accept patients, process information because of the shutdown of electricity system. In such a situation, CalaKare will need the assistance from the part of the local community. Mutual efforts of CalaKare and other stakeholders and emergency services will help to resolve the issue and damages caused by the major failure. Even though Calakare is unable to recovery after the major failure, the company still should come prepared to such failures and be ready to cooperate with emergency services, local authorities and community members to facilitate and accelerate its recovery.

2.4.2 Availability of replacement parts

The availability of the replacement parts is another important factor that affects the mean time required for the recovery of the company in case of emergency. The business continuity plan should take into consideration possible risks and availability of replacement parts. To put it more precisely, the company should assess its current needs in case of either of three types of failures identified above and determine which resources should be available in case of either failure or respective emergency.  At this point, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that the company should focus not only on the provision of the particular replacement parts for each unit, for example, but on the development of the effective communication system that can help units and employees of the company to share information fast, communicate their needs and required replacement materials and obtain those materials as soon as possible. For example, a damaged cable at the registration of a patient, requires replacement. However, it does not mean that the cable should be located at the reception unit of Calakare. Instead, the company should have the cable in its store and employees of the company should deliver the cable to the unit that needs it, when they receive a call. Alternatively, employees of any unit should have access to the store and they can take the cable anytime, they need it. On comparing these two options, the first one is more preferable because employees cannot always waste their time on going to the store to take the cable, for example, especially if an employee is registering an urgent patient. Instead, the employee should have an opportunity to make a call to the company’s storehouse and obtain the cable in the matter of minutes to replace the damaged one.

In case of serious failures that affect the entire organization and cause the information flow or other problems that prevent the company from performing its internal business operations, CalaKare should mobilize replacement parts fast. In this regard, the company can use replacement parts available at its storehouse but, if necessary, the company can order required replacement parts from its suppliers to obtain them as soon as possible. However, ideally the company should have all the required parts at its storehouse to prevent the postponing of the resolution of the problem and recovery of the organization and its operations till suppliers deliver the required replacement parts. To prevent such problems, the company should assess realistically risks and obtain replacement parts that are most likely to be needed in case of an emergency to exclude the necessity to refer to suppliers to obtain new or extra replacement parts.

However, the involvement of external assistance and suppliers is inevitable in case of the major failure. If a disaster strikes, for example, and causes the shutdown of power within facilities of CalaKare, the company cannot recover the electricity supply, if the infrastructure located outside the company’s facilities is damaged. In such situation, the company should coordinate its recovery plans and management with the supplier of electric power, local emergency services and other stakeholders. Thus, the company will be able to manage the recovery process with the help of other stakeholders. The involvement of external support is essential because CalaKare cannot possibly recover after the major failure and such failures are likely to occur because of existing risks of natural disasters or accidents, such as fire, for example. In such a way, the company should develop close cooperation with emergency services, local community members and authorities to be able to manage the recovery of its operations and facilities fast.

2.4.3 Internal monitoring capabilities and skill sets

Internal monitoring capabilities and skill sets are also crucial for the successful recovery of CalaKare in case of emergency, which may affect the documentation and information flow within the company. Internal monitoring is crucial for the recovery management of CalaKare because the company should monitor its preparedness for the emergency and its recovery and, more important, the company should monitory the recovery process to determine whether the recovery management is effective or probably changes are needed to accelerate the recovery process and restore operations of the company faster.

Internal monitoring is a complex process that requires the employment of control officers, who monitor the recovery management. Control officers may be appointed from the emergency management team that focuses on the recovery from the particular emergency case. Control officers participate in the elaboration of the recovery plan and contribute to the recovery of the company through monitoring whether the recovery process matches the recovery plan or not. If they identify any challenges or issues, they should report immediately to the manager responsible for the recovery and together the recovery management team should decide how to deal with the identified issues.

Skill sets are also important because they help to save time and resources, in case of emergency. In fact, all employees of the company should have skill sets required for the emergency management and recovery of the organization. All employees of the company should be trained to respond adequately in case of emergency. However, they will need regular training to keep their skill sets effective. This means that CalaKare should provide its employees with regular training to help them to enhance their skills of respond to the emergency.

2.4.4 Availability of key internal personnel

The availability of key internal personnel is another integral element of the successful recovery management. CalaKare should enhance the communication between employees of the company to make key internal personnel available to the emergency manager, when needed. For example, the company can create an emergency team or teams, where each member will perform specific functions. The company should double such teams to ensure that, even if one employee is absent, he/she can be replaced by another to keep the emergency management team functioning effectively. These key professionals will be always ready to respond to emergency and they have an opportunity to obtain the information that their assistance is needed as soon as possible. In this regard, information system of the company may shut down, in case of emergency, and managers will be unable to communicate with key personnel. However, employees should know the specific location, where they should go in case of emergency to obtain instructions from the manager and respond to the emergency as they are supposed to do and trained to do.

2.4.5 Maintenance in place

The maintenance of key functions and operations within the company is crucial for the successful recovery. In this regard, CalaKare should determine which functions and operations are the most essential for its normal functioning and successful recovery. For example, the electricity supply may be the most important issue, which the company should focus above all, in case of emergency, or the evacuation of patients, or protection of their private information. The company should just prioritize key functions and operations and restore them one by one in the course of the recovery after an emergency.

2.5 Recovery time objectives

The recovery time is crucial for the effectiveness of the recovery process and business continuity. In this regard, the company should determine recovery time objectives fast and clearly to make the personnel aware of what they should do and what they have to achieve by a specific time. The emergency management team should plan accurately all stages of the recovery plan and each stage should have its date and time by which the objective of the stage has to be achieved. Such planning allows performing the recovery plan accurately. Moreover, such recovery time objectives help to monitor and control the implementation of the plan, because of the achievement of objectives does not coincide with the time set for each specific objective, then the plan is stumbling and may fail.

3. Resilience and contingency of business continuity

At the same time, CalaKare should also develop the resilience of the organization to enhance its business continuity along with contingency of business continuity. Resilience and contingency are essential to facilitate the recovery process because they enhance the preparedness of the organization to an emergency and help the company to recover faster. For example, the company should accumulate required resources and train personnel that will enhance its resilience and contingency of business continuity by making the company more prepared to an emergency.

4.International standards of business continuity

4.1 ISO 22301:2012

Today, business continuity relies on international standards, which CalaKare should take as standards on the ground of which the company can build its own recovery management. In this regard, it is possible to refer to ISO 22301:2012, which specifies requirements to plan, establish, implement, operate, monitor, review, maintain and continually improve a documented management system to protect against, reduce the likelihood of occurrence, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disruptive incidents when they arise (Buchanan, 2000).

4.2 ISO 22313:2012

Another international standards CalaKare should match is ISO 22313:2012 for business continuity management systems, which provides guidance based on good international practice for planning, establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, reviewing, maintaining and continually improving a documented management system that enables organizations to prepare for, respond to and recover from disruptive incidents when they arise (Powers & Daily, 2010).

5.Testing business continuity planning

Many companies think they have an effective business continuity plan in place (Wisner, et al., 2004). However, the true effectiveness of a plan can only be fully understood after it is tested (Coppola, 2007). Even if your company cannot arrange a full-scale exercise, look for smaller ways to test portions of your plan (Pinkowski, 2008). For example, arrange a test of your company’s call tree or review recent organizational changes and assign new responsibilities based on the current structure and available resources (Powers & Daily, 2010).

6 .Conclusion

Thus, the company should come prepared to emergencies and enhance its business continuity. In this regard, the recommendations and plan proposed above can help the company to confront emergencies successfully and accelerate the recovery process. However, CalaKare should be aware of the importance of preparing employees to interact rather than to act according to the specific plan prepared beforehand for a particular disaster, because the plan may not work properly or just fail and the close coordination between people will be needed to help the company to recover.

 

7. References

Antosia, R & Cahill, J, (2006). Handbook of bioterrorism and Disaster Medicine, Springer NY Center for Emergency and Disaster Planning.

Buchanan, S. (2000). “Emergency preparedness.” from Paul Banks and Roberta Pilette. Preservation Issues and Planning. Chicago: American Library Association. 159-165.

Ciottone, G, (2006). Disaster Medicine, Mosby Elsevier

Coppola, D. (2007). Introduction to International Disaster Management. Butterworth-Heinemann (Elsevier).

Emergency Management Australia Manual Series (1998). Sydney: Routledge.

Hogan, D. & Burnstein, J. (2007). Disaster Medicine. 2nd Ed. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Koenig, K. and Schultz, C. (2010). Disaster medicine: Comprehensive principles and practices. Cambridge Medicine.

Pinkowski, J. (Ed.) (2008). Disaster Management Handbook. Boca Raton: CRC Press.

Powers, R. & Daily, E. (2010). International Disaster Nursing. Cambridge University Press.

Wisner, B. et al. (2004). At Risk – Natural hazards, people’s vulnerability and disasters.  New York: Routledge.

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[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

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