Course Title: Develop and maintain business continuity plans

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2012

Course Code: BUSM6397C

Course Title: Develop and maintain business continuity plans

School: 650T TAFE Business

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6102 - Advanced Diploma of Business (Public Relations)

Course Contact : Sally Parrott

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5175

Course Contact Email:sally.parrott@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Alain Grossbard

alain.grossbard@rmit.edu.au

Telephone: 99255522

Nominal Hours: 60

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

This unit is for individuals working in positions of authority who are approved to implement change across the division, business area, program area or project area.

This unit addresses the knowledge and processes necessary to develop and maintain business continuity requirements. Business continuity awareness and planning help the organisation to identify barriers and/or interruptions, and to determine how the organisation will achieve critical business objectives (even at diminished capacity) until full functionality is restored.

The focus is on risk and vulnerability assessment, business impact assessments, and business continuity and communication plans.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

BSBCON601A Develop and maintain business continuity plans

Element:

5. Establish the business continuity plan

Performance Criteria:

5.1 Consult relevant personnel and seek support for the development of the organisation's business continuity plan/s
5.2 Ensure content of business continuity plan is comprehensive and meets, where applicable, the requirements of regulations, standards, industry practice and geographical dispersion
5.3 Document and analyse feedback received through consultation and finalise business continuity plan
5.4 Demonstrate accountability for the organisation's business continuity plan/s

Element:

1. Conduct risk and vulnerability assessments

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Identify the relationship between corporate risk and the organisation's business continuity management framework
1.2 Analyse and determine internal and external risk context by collecting information that relates to the organisation's priorities, operations and environment
1.3 Analyse and identify potential internal and external sources of disruption to the organisation's priorities, operations and environment

Element:

2. Develop and report on the business impact assessment/s

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Identify the organisation's critical business functions and their dependencies and interdependencies , and analyse and evaluate risks through the business impact assessment/s
2.2 Develop risk and disruption scenarios through the business impact assessment/s
2.3 Validate risk and disruption scenarios through the business impact assessment/s
2.4 Analyse, validate and report on the outcomes of the business impact assessment/s to management

Element:

3. Develop, implement and report on risk treatments

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Develop and implement risk treatments
3.2 Participate in risk treatment review
3.3 Report on risk treatment review to management and relevant appropriate personnel
3.4 Update risk treatment review in line with feedback provided by relevant personnel

Element:

4. Determine interdependencies and develop response strategies

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Develop the organisation's emergency response , continuity and recovery strategies
4.2 Consult and seek endorsement on the organisation's emergency response, continuity and recovery strategies from management and other appropriate personnel
4.3 Identify and manage synergies and conflicts in resource availability and access in conjunction with management
4.4 Coordinate the organisation's emergency response, continuity and recovery strategies

Element:

6. Establish the communication plan within the organisation's planning framework

Performance Criteria:

6.1 Identify stakeholders and determine objective and scope of communication plan for periods before, during and after disruptions occur
6.2 Determine organisation's communication capabilities in line with objectives and scope, and identify gaps and options for meeting shortfalls
6.3 Develop and implement across the organisation, appropriate risk and incident monitoring, reporting and escalation processes

Element:

7. Deliver business continuity professional development activities

Performance Criteria:

7.1 Promote the application of the business continuity management framework and plan to all relevant personnel on an ongoing basis
7.2 Provide staff with appropriate information relating to the cyclical review process of the business continuity management plan
7.3 Conduct business continuity management plan exercises in line with the organisation's policies and procedures
7.4 Conduct post exercise debriefs, complete post exercise reviews and update business continuity strategies and plans as required
7.5 Manage and record staff learning and development in relation to the business continuity management framework in accordance with organisational requirements, and framework policies and procedures
7.6 Report on the outcomes of staff learning and development, and business continuity framework exercises to relevant personnel


Learning Outcomes


This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to work within the business continuity framework to develop and implement business continuity plans in order for an organisation to manage risk and ensure business resilience when faced with a disruptive event.


Details of Learning Activities

A range of learning activities are planned for this course including self-paced and collaborative classroom based activities.
The self-paced activities will be delivered thought various technology platforms and include your contribution to wikis and discussion threads, reflective journals, quizzes and interactive sessions.
The collaborative classroom based activities will include group discussion, group problem solving activities and opportunities to practice your skills in a simulated/real workplace environment.
You are expected to participate and contribute in all scheduled learning activities.


Teaching Schedule


Week 1 - Introduction

Week 2 - 6

Course content and structure

An introduction: understanding business continuity plans

Risk management planning

Risk legislative framework

Analysing organisational risk management processes

Weeks 7 - 10

Identifying and analysing risk

Treating risks for a business continuity plan

Week 11 - 14

Monitoring and evaluating risk management strategies for a business continuity plan

Communication and participative arrangements

Week 15 - 16

Develop and maintain business continuity plan



Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References

Identify risk and apply risk management processes BSBCMN416A, Aspire Training & Consulting, Melbourne 2008. Business Library 658.155 BI19
Ariely, D 2008, Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape our Decisions, Harper Collins, London. Business Library 330 A698
Baker, W and Reid, H 2005 Identifying and managing risk, Pearson Education, New South Wales. Business Library 658.155 B168
Bennett, AE 2005. Guide to risk management in imports/exports, CCH Australia, New South Wales. Business Library 343.94087 B471
Bazerman, MH and Watkins, MD 2004, Predictable surprises : the disasters you should have seen coming, and how to prevent them, Harvard Business School Press, Boston.
Bus Lib 363.3407 B362
Cleary, S and Thiery, M 2007, Global risk management - Business success in turbulent times, Macmillan, New York. Business Library AV 658.155 C623
Fearn-Banks, K 2002 Crisis communication casebook approach, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publisher, New Jersey. Bus Lib 659.2 F288 On Reserve
Robinson, G 2008 Australian risk roundtable, Brolga Publishing, Melbourne. Business Library AV 658.155 A938
Video Risk Maker, risk taker: A manager’s guide to risk. Business Library AV 658.155 R595
Websites Free Management library http://managementhelp.org/


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

Students must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of a particular competency to be deemed competent. Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks.

Assessment will incorporate a variety of methods including assignments, journals, presentation and written or test. Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.
 


Assessment Tasks

Assessment 1

Individual assignment Value 35%
Length: 750-1000 words

Aims: Analyse and describe current or past events using risk management concepts and tools. Suggest ways the risks could have been reduced, in hindsight.
Apply skills in finding information using online resources, books, journals and newspapers.
Apply Harvard referencing skills.

Assessment criteria
 Application of risk management concepts and tools to answer the questions 10%
 Good use made of a variety of resources (2 must be hard copy, 2 must be online) 10%
 Presentations of the final Report 10%
 Correctly uses Harvard referencing system to reference the resources 5%
(minimal requirement: Harvard system used, not footnote system;
author-date in the text, not the book title; reference list, not bibliography)


Group work of 3 – 4 students.

Instructions
Identify a current or past story in the news or a book which portrays business Risk and Risk Management. Examples could include company fires, environmental disasters, food poisoning, poor product sales, theft, fraud, death of staff and so on. The lectures will list 6 broad categories of risk to help you think of a news story.

Describe and comment on the event, with the benefit of hindsight, using risk management concepts and tools: Briefly describe the event (attach a copy of the article if convenient). From the point of view of a public relations practitioner in the business, describe the context of the risk, the actual risks associated with the event, who the risks affected and how it affected them. Are there any other risks that you now think should have been identified?

What risk reduction strategies were already in place or likely to have been in place before the event? What other risk reduction strategies could have been used or have been used since?

Assessment 2 Test covering lectures and activities/workshops In-class & Week 16

Individual activities Total Value 35%

Students complete number of activities and workshops that will be assessed via a final test in class.


Assessment 3 Major Assignment – Develop a Communication Plan for a Business Continuity Plan

Due Date: Week 14 Report with Group Interviews during Week 15 & 16.

Group-based (groups of 4)
Length: 1000-1500
Group Interviews: 10 minutes Total Value 30%


Aim: This assignment requires you to develop a Communication Plan for a Business Continuity Plan to show you can comprehend and apply the Australian Standard for risk management.

Work in groups of 4 and develop a written Risk Management Plan for a business. The plan must follow the model presented and explained in AS/NZ 4360:2004 Risk Management, Standards Association of Australia, NSW.

Students must meet at least 3 times and provide Meeting Minutes to the teacher outlining items discussed and action agreed for preparation of joint report. Class time will be used for meetings if time permits. Student must also complete a peer review form and give it to the teacher.



Assessment Matrix

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Other Information

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Course Overview: Access Course Overview