Course Title: Develop and maintain business continuity plans

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2013

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

99255522

alain.grossbard@rmit.edu.au

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:

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:

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:

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 series of lectures, individual and group activities include a major assignment report preparation and presentation.


Teaching Schedule

Week 1 11 February Course Induction
• Course delivery and assessment details
• Course support documents – any text books or readings
• Online learning environment – go through Blackboard shell
• Grading – remind them of codes and no marks (codes at end of doc)
• Plagiarism – must have signed cover sheets on all assessments
• Appeals – take them through this process and where it is on website
• Extensions – take them through process (details on website.)
• Feedback – when they can contact you and expect a response.
• Submission requirements – how all work must be uploaded and how
• Resubmission policy – one resubmission, marked to a pass allowed
• Where to get support - Student study support details
• Student responsibilities – must check emails and bb shells weekly
Week 2 18 February Introduction – Definition of Business Continuity Plan
Week 3 25 February Business continuity plan life cycle
Week 4 4 March Threats to an organisation
Week 5 11 March Elements necessary for an effective BCP
Week 6 18 March Types of risks (general) that can be encountered by an organisation
Week7 25 March Major Assignment

Mid Semester Break: 28 March – 3 April inclusive

Week 7 1 April Major Assignment
Week8 8 April Areas of risks – case study
Ways of analysing risks
Week9 15 April Ways of treating risks and risk treatment improvements
Week10 22 April Risk treatment evaluation – Case Study
Ways of monitoring risks – Case study
Week 11 29 April Attributes to an effective BCP
Week12 6 May Test
Week 13 13 May Major Assignment work
Week 14 20 May Major Assignment in 
Week 15  27 May Return final assessment and schedule any resubmission for next week
Week 16 No classes resubmissions only
 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


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

This course is co-delivered and co-assessed with BUSM6247C Develop and Implement a Business Plan

 

Assessment 1 Risk Management activities

Individual activities
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
 Good use made of a variety of resources (2 must be hard copy, 2 must be online)
 Presentations of the final Report
 Correctly uses Harvard referencing system to reference the resources

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 assessment: 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

Report Due Date: Week 14
Group Interviews: Week 15
Group-based (groups of 4)
Length: 1800 - 2000
Group Interviews: 10 minutes
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

 

More detailed assessment sheets for each assessment task will be disseminated throughout course delivery.
Submission Requirements: All assessment tasks need to be submitted via Blackboard.
You should:
• Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date. If your performance in the assessment is affected by unexpected circumstances, you should consider applying for Special Consideration. Information on the process and application forms is available at http://rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=ls0ydfokry9rz website.
• Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks. (hard copy and soft copy)
• When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use a cover sheet that includes a declaration and statement of authorship. You must complete, sign and submit a cover sheet with all work you submit for assessment, whether individual or group work. On the cover sheet you declare that the work you are presenting for assessment is your own work. An assignment cover sheet for submission of work for assessment is available from the Student forms website.
• Each page of your assessment should include footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers. For example, Julie Macpherson, 324567, Task 2, OHS2345C Ensure safe workplace, Page 1 of 10.

 


Assessment Matrix

Full details on how this course is assessed against the Unit elements and performance criteria plus critical aspects of evidence can be found in the Learning and Assessment Tool available from your course teacher.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview