An opinion paper on requirement for a practitioner's handbook designed for business continuity and resilience in government: a South African context

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to find a suitable structure for a practitioner's handbook that addresses the structural elements of the business continuity (BC) practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The case study using the mixed method, quantitative with a questionnaire and conceptual research approach was what has been chosen. The four steps to the research process are outlined: one, choosing the topic, two, collecting relevant literature, three, identifying specific variables and four, generating a structure. The design brought on by years of experience, should be put into an organised system and handbook that can be reused, without having to reinvent the wheel.

Findings

A BC handbook should be as relevant to the executives and management as to their employees. By adopting a BC practice in a government department, state-owned entity, agency or municipality. Assurance will be ascertained for reliable, improved service delivery and reputation with much less interruption. Therefore a handbook with a “cradle to the grave” BC approach should outline, with examples of standards, awareness, policy, BC programme plan, BC structures, business impact and risk analysis, strategy, budgets, scorecards, monitoring and evaluation, recovery and BC plans, together with the audit and an International Standards Organization (ISO) 22301 certification process.

Research limitations/implications

The research was limited to literature, questionnaires and identified variables pertaining to BC management (BCM) in the South African Government.

Practical implications

The implications of the case study is that out of the variables identified and the relevant literature and standards, a structure for a relevant post-COVID-19 government practitioner's handbook could be made available.

Social implications

The use of a BCM handbook for government would assist in the continuation of services through manmade and natural disasters. The service to the citizen, including but not limited to water, electricity, sanitation, medical and health services, and the food supply chain are just a few areas that can be positively impacted upon by good BCM. By implication the reliance of government structure are treated most in time of disasters as experienced through the two year period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Originality/value

The government departments in South Africa do not have or have not implemented BCM due to the lack of clear guidelines. The COVID-19 pandemic however had accelerated the requirement for a top down BCM approach. To ensure that the scope of BCM is not limited, the possibility of having a set handbook for the government practitioner will ensure that service quality remains intact. Such a handbook related to government BCM practice is long outstanding.

Citation

Ferguson, C.S. (2023), "An opinion paper on requirement for a practitioner's handbook designed for business continuity and resilience in government: a South African context", Continuity & Resilience Review, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 198-209. https://doi.org/10.1108/CRR-08-2022-0013