“It’ll be right…” Insights into business continuity integration at a public sector organisation

A business disruption can occur anytime, interrupting an organisation’s daily operations and services to its customers and other interested parties. In May 2012, the International Standard Organisation (ISO) published the ISO 22301 Societal security – Business continuity management systems – requirement. This outlined the standard requirements for setting up and managing a successful business continuity management system (BCMS) for any size organisation in order to assist with a successful continuation of critical operations through a business disruption. Developing a BCMS is relatively new for New Zealand public sector organisations. This paper presents the findings of a research study regarding the implementation of a BCMS that was carried out within a New Zealand public sector organisation. It will describe the experiences of middle management and their recommendations for the improved delivery of business continuity.

An insider action research (IAR) methodology was utilised that provided participants with an opportunity to voice their BC needs to gain ownership of the research process and its outputs. Participants were purposively sampled including those responsible for integrating BC practice within their team. The research was carried out in two phases, firstly through semi-structured interviews and the thematic analysis of the collected data and secondly through two workshops that generated an action plan designed to enhance and improve the BCMS of the public sector organisation. This presentation will describe the key themes such as perception of BC, clear leadership and collective engagement to integrate BCM into organisational culture that emerged from the research and the recommendations of participants for improved implementation and delivery of a BCMS that were made through the action plan.

Deborah is the Business Continuity and Health Emergency Advisor for the Order of St John, New Zealand.  Deborah is leading business continuity management and resilience within St John.  Her Masters Action Research is driving the continuing progress of business continuity management within the organisation.

Deborah has held many roles including, Emergency Management Casual Tutor at Tai Poutini Polytechnic, Auckland Civil Defence and Emergency Management Volunteer in public education.  She was the Northern Regional Health Coordinator Centre EOC Manager for the H1N1 in 2009 and Health Coordinating Executive Group Coordinator, Auckland and Northern Region from 2009 to 2012.  Deborah was the IMT Support Staff Coordinator for the Auckland District Health Board (ADHB) from 2008 to 2012.  She assisted the ADHB responses following the Samoa tsunami and Christchurch 2010/11 earthquakes.  She was the Response and Emergency Coordinator for the Auckland Regional Public Health Service from 2014 to 2017.  Deborah has gained her Master of Emergency Management degree at the Auckland University of Technology.