An introduction to business continuity planning

Business Continuity Planning (BCP) is a management decision-making process aimed at minimising business loss and maximising business recovery and continuance following any disaster that may occur at any time. A worldwide history of disasters (whether man-made or natural) has shown that corporate decision-makers have either been unaware of the BCP philosophy and its organisational implication or have indeed been aware but have ignored its application and implementation. In either case, serious outcomes have resulted in not only organisational, but also human loss. The first in a planned series of research papers on this topic, this paper provides an introduction to Business Continuity Planning and raises potential hypotheses for specific and further research. It generally concludes that BCP is not a widely practised business function nor is it the subject of any broadly based academic management instruction.