This thesis focuses on the topics of Business Continuity Management and Disaster Recov-ery Management in the context of small and medium sized businesses which offer or use IT services in the cloud. The aim of this thesis is to carry out a theoretical research of BCM and DRM in the aforementioned context and to analyze situation in a specific company based on the results of the research. This includes analysis of specific incidents that hap-pened in the company, analysis of how the company reacts to the incidents and how are the incidents logged and reported. The analysis identifies weak spots in the company and their potentials of improvement. The most serious weak spot discovered is that BCM and DRM are not implemented in the company. In the last part this thesis suggests measures to im-prove the situation in the specific company. That includes both specifying general goals and procedures and also defining specific policies, plans and reaction schemes. Specifically those are politics handling the incidents categorization, warning and communication, inci-dent reporting and performing maintenance.

The concept of business continuity management has gained wide acceptance in recent years. Recent natural disasters such as the 2004 tsunami and terrorist activities such as the 911 World Trade Centre bombing, has emphasised the importance of business continuity management. Many of these events had catastrophic consequences, which left most executives faced with the challenge of improving the continuity of their organisation. Not to long ago, these executives were also faced with the challenge of managing their IT investments in such a way that it is aligned with the strategic goals of the organisation. An initiative referred to as IT governance was developed and IT governance frameworks instantly assisted executives to obtain direct business value from IT investments. The problem statement addressed in this research is the lack of a generally accepted business continuity management framework. This research aims to leverage of the success of IT governance in an attempt to establish the beginnings of a framework for business continuity management. In addition, the research also illustrates a paradigm shift where the enterprise continuity of a typical organisation has evolved from disaster recovery to business continuity management. The research approach executed is based on the interpretivism paradigm and is used to interpret the results of the research methodology and research method. The research methodology consists of a literature survey and empirical study whereas a content analysis is used as the research method. / Dissertation (M.Com (Informatics))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Informatics / unrestricted

This work covers process continuity as the source of a business continuity management. In first theoretic part this work connects continuous behavior of systems with the business continuity and the process continuity. Then in second part of the work we look into present knowledge in business continuity management systems and we cover key standards for business continuity management. We also look into connections among those standards for business continuity and we pinpoint chapters of British standard BS 25999-1 with its counterparts in IT service frameworks such as ITIL v3 and COBIT 4.1. In the final part, this work covers use of process analysis and process models as tools for delivering business continuity through process continuity and preparing business continuity plans in utilities.

This thesis deals with possible interconnections between two concepts playing a big role in contemporary business and IT world. These concepts are Business Continuity Management and Cloud Computing. In the scope of this thesis there are certain areas identified where both concepts are complement, where Cloud Computing brings new opportunities for Business Continuity Management and where could possible problems arise during particular implementation. From the BCM perspective the impact lies on IT services, from the Cloud Computing perspective the thesis deals especially with security aspects. The thesis is also aimed at the characteristics of higher education and basic differences from commercial sphere. Based on defined differences and identified interconnections between BCM and Cloud Computing, the thesis argues for usage of suitable Cloud Computing solution for higher education regarding Business Continuity improvement. The multi-criterion comparison of several Infrastructure-as-a-Service solutions stems from this analysis focusing on technical, financial, and Business Continuity aspects. The result from this comparison together with conclusions from previous chapters serve as an input for subsequent practical proposal of Cloud Computing solution and its verification against Business Continuity improvement in specific conditions on University of Economics in Prague. The proposal is also represented by strategic map.

Enterprises during their operation are impacted many threats and risks that could dramatically affect their business. Business Continuity Management has evolved to provide resistance against the eternal operational risks. BCM aims to ensure business continuity in case of its danger. The goal of this thesis is to apply the selected methods of the BCM into emergency planning, which is regulated by legislatively for businesses in the Czech Republic.

Denna studie syftade till att förstå och bidra med kunskap kring hur personer inom offentliga verksamheter som samordnar, koordinerar eller stöttar den egna eller annan organisations kontinuitetsarbete, upplever vilken påverkan ledare på lägre organisationsnivåer (t.ex. enhets- och avdelningschefer) har vid implementering och upprätthållande av kontinuitetshantering. Vidare har studien även undersökt vilka ledarbeteenden som bidrar respektive hindrar framgångsrik kontinuitetshantering.Genomförande av studien skedde genom en kvalitativ forskningsmetod med semistrukturerade intervjuer och tematisk analys som metodologiskt angreppssätt. Totalt 10 personer som verkar inom kommuner, regioner och myndigheter intervjuades. Studiens resultat visade att första linjens chefer anses ha en viktig roll i kontinuitetsarbetet. Genom att de aktivt tar ansvar för att bedriva kontinuitetsarbetet, tilldelar nödvändiga resurser samt delegerar uppgifter, ges förutsättningar för ett framgångsrikt kontinuitetsarbete. Resultatet påvisar också betydelsen av både relationsrelaterade och uppgiftsrelaterade ledarbeteenden i kontinuitetsarbetet. Studien identifierar i detta sammanhang funktionella och dysfunktionella ledarbeteenden för relation och uppgift samt som bidrar eller hindrar en framgångsrik kontinuitetshantering.Sammantaget bidrar studien med både teoretisk och praktisk kunskap. Resultatet ger stöd för betydelsen av ett transformerande ledarskap för att skapa goda arbetsrelationer men påvisar också betydelsen av ledarstilar som är mer uppgiftsorienterade. Studien lyfter också de negativa effekterna av ett låt-gå och destruktivt ledarskap. Vidare ger studien en beteendeinriktad vägledning till ledare och i synnerhet första linjens chefer för att bidra till en framgångsrik kontinuitetshantering. / This study aimed to understand and contribute with knowledge about how individuals within public organizations that coordinate, manage, or support their own or another organization's continuity work, perceive the role that lower-level leaders (such as unit and department managers) have when working with continuity management. Additionally, the study also examined which leadership behaviours contribute to or hinder successful continuity management.Implementation of the study took place through a qualitative research method with semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis as a methodological approach. A total of 10 people working within municipalities, regions and agencies were interviewed. The study's results showed that first-line managers are considered to have an important role in continuity work. By actively taking responsibility for carrying out the continuity work, assigning the necessary resources and delegating tasks, the conditions for successful continuity work are created. The result also demonstrates the importance of both relationship-related and task-related leadership behaviors in continuity work. In this context, the study identifies functional and dysfunctional leadership behaviors for relationship and task and which contribute to or hinder successful continuity management.Overall, the study contributes with both theoretical and practical knowledge. The results support the importance of transformational leadership in creating good working relationships, but also demonstrate the importance of leadership styles that are more task-oriented. The study also highlights the negative effects of a let-go and destructive leadership. Furthermore, the study provides behavioral guidance to leaders and especially first-line managers to contribute to successful continuity management.

In recent years, disruptive events have tested companies supply chain resilience. These challenges have emphasized the crucial role of effective supply chain management strategies. As a result of the negative performance, companies are recognizing the importance of supply chain resilience. The purpose of this study is to understand how firms manage their supply chain in practice and will answer RQ1: How has the approach of supply chain risk mitigation changed after recent disruptive events?” and RQ2: “What are the barriers & enablers to the implementation of business continuity management within a supply chain?”. The study follows a qualitative case study which involves both primary and secondary data. The primary data is based on 10 interviews with industry experts meanwhile the secondary data is based on reports and a panel discussion. The data is analyzed through a thematic analysis. The findings of the study are a risk management model, consisting of three different dimensions: 1) Supply Chain Orientation 11) Business Relationship and Communication and 111) Risk Mitigation. These dimensions can be used by companies and organization to improve its supply chain resilience. As well as understanding the challenges of proactive implementation within their supply chain, to be more prepared for the next disruptive event in the future.

Dagens samhälle präglas av globalisering och hög grad av sammankoppling mellan länder och sektorer, vilket även bidrar till sårbarheter. Komplexa risker som präglas av osäkerhet, tvetydighet och konsekvenser med potentialen att få spridningseffekter hotar samhällsviktig verksamhet och därigenom samhällets funktionalitet. Sjukhus är en typ av samhällsviktig verksamhet som behöver upprätthållas för att samhället ska kunna fungera. Skydd av samhällsviktig verksamhet kan uppnås genom en kombination av riskhantering, kontinuitetshantering och incidenthantering. Kontinuitetshantering syftar till att minimera avbrottstider i kritisk verksamhet och tillse att oacceptabla konsekvenser undviks. Internationellt sett har kontinuitetshantering visat sig vara ett effektivt verktyg om det nyttjas korrekt och med rätt kompetens. Det har hittills saknats studier som undersökt hur kontinuitetshantering används på svenska sjukhus, och hur representanter för regionala aktörer som arbetar med kontinuitetshantering ser på verktyget. Syftet med den här studien var därför ”att bidra till en ökad förståelse för implementeringen av kontinuitetshantering på svenska sjukhus, samt synliggöra faktorer som bidrar till respektive hindrar den implementeringen”.Datainsamling skedde genom kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer med fem respondenter med erfarenhet av kontinuitetshantering på svenska sjukhus. Insamlade data bearbetades därefter genom kvalitativ innehållsanalys, och resulterade i två huvudkategorier med två respektive sex underkategorier. Resultatet visar att kontinuitetshantering ses som både ett förhållningssätt och ett verktyg, där målbilden är att genom kontinuitetshantering som verktyg utveckla en plan B för inom sjukhus kritisk verksamhet. Samtidigt ses kontinuitetshantering även som ett förhållningssätt, som präglar den vardagliga verksamheten och i förlängningen har förmåga att bidra till ökad resiliens på svenska sjukhus. Resultatet visar även att risken för att kontinuitetshantering inte ger önskat resultat kan bero på låg kompetens, att underliggande vägledningar upplevs svåra att följa eller att resurser prioriteras till andra arbetsuppgifter.Studiens resultat diskuteras utifrån tidigare vetenskapliga fynd, framgångsfaktorer och hinder för praktisk implementering och även i förhållande till katastrofmedicinsk beredskap, samhällssäkerhet och huruvida kontinuitetshantering kan anses bidra till ökad resiliens på svenska sjukhus. Framtida forskning bör bland annat fokusera ytterligare på det praktiska genomförandet på verksamhetsnivå och lärdomar från störningar där kontinuitetsplaner använts skarpt på svenska sjukhus. / Modern society is largely globalized and different countries as well as sectors are intertwined to a large extent, giving arise to increased vulnerabilities. Complex risk characterized by uncertainty, ambiguity, and consequences with the potential of spill-over effects threaten vital societal functions with the possibility of huge consequences for society. Hospitals are an example of these types of institutions that are critical for a society’s functionality to be upheld. The protection of vital societal functions can be achieved by risk management, business continuity management [BCM] and incident management. BCM aims to minimize disruptions in critical activities and to make sure that unacceptable consequences are avoided. In an international context BCM has been proved efficient when used properly and with the correct competencies in the organization in which it is to be applied. So far, no studies have investigated the usage of BCM in Swedish hospitals, and how the method and concept is viewed by actors on a regional level. Due to this, the aim of this study was to “contribute to knowledge regarding the implementation of business continuity management in Swedish hospitals, as well as map factors promoting and hindering that implementation.”. Data was collected through qualitative semi-structured interviews with five respondents who work with BCM on a regional level in Sweden with a focus on health care. Collected data was analyzed through qualitative content analysis and resulted in two main categories with two and six subcategories respectively. The result shows that BCM is viewed as both an approach and as a tool. As a tool with the goal of creating a plan B for critical operations within a system, as well as an approach to everyday operations within the organization. Together these two viewpoints have the ability of increasing resilience in Swedish hospitals. The result also shows that the risk of BCM not resulting in the aspired outcome might be due to low level of understanding of the concept and method, or that resources needed are prioritized to other areas.The result is discussed from a perspective of past research, as well as practical implementations based on hindering and promoting factors. It is also discussed in relation to disaster medicine, societal safety and how BCM can contribute to increased resilience in Swedish hospitals. Future research should focus on the practical implementation of BCM on an organization’s operative level and lessons learned from real incidents where business continuity plans have been used.

In an increasingly interconnected, and electricity-reliant world, households are asked to build up their resilience to crises. Local, distributed electricity production within a microgrid with capability to operate disconnected from the larger grid has been shown to be an effective tool for increasing power system resilience in the past. The energy production of local renewable sources is, however, not sufficient in meeting normal household energy demand. This thesis explores whether the forming of communities can be utilised to reduce energy demand and as a result, increase the resiliency of both the community and urban environments. The analysis of household energy use and the subsequently developed toolbox provide insights into energy use both under normal societal function and during a crisis. Through living and cooking together as a community, significant energy-efficiency gains were possible, exceeding those reasonably achieved within each individual household. Community was further determined to be important in the planning and development of more resilient combinations of renewable energy, going beyond solar power. When implemented in theoretical scenarios, energy communities at a building and block level could provide sufficient energy for the households’ most immediate needs without major sacrifices of wellness. The scheme proposed is argued to require not only monetary investments, but also larger societal shifts. Producing sufficient quantities of electricity within urban environments will mean a large change in how cities are experienced. Public understanding and acceptance for such a change is likely to be necessary. Through the implementation, the role of the municipality would go from action-taking to mostly laying the groundwork for the formation of communities, as well as advising these as they achieve higher household resilience. Most critically, however, there is a need for the broader population to embrace working together in communities.

A well-functioning infrastructure is the foundation of a stable society, where payment systems are an important part. Grocery stores provide the general public with groceries and rely on customer consumption. Disruptions in the card payment system leads to consequences because 97% of all customers have access to card payment and is the payment method they prefer to use.  The aim of the survey is to find out about food stores' experience of disruptions in the payment system and how they wish a good management for this to look like. Next, a general crisis management model is developed to mitigate the consequences of a disruption in the payment system. A qualitative method is used to sample a result from each individual stores’ experiences and wishes.  Earlier research where decision analysis is used to handle disruptions in the payment system within the food industry has not been found. Through interviews and theories can a crisis management model for payment disruptions be developed, and examine the business continuity of food stores. The results of the survey shows that food stores today do not have any risk management to handle a break in the payment system or how a desirable management of it would look like. They have previously handled this by letting the customer pay with cash. A smaller store let a customer pay at another time. The general crisis management model has three phases: preliminary studies, management and evaluation. The preliminary studies involve that the store evaluates which payment methods they are capable of implementing. The management of a crisis takes place in three iterative steps; offer alternative payment methods, see how the crisis develops and finally remedy it. The evaluation step in the model is important because a positive outcome can not be guaranteed and therefore continued research is encouraged. / En välfungerande infrastruktur är grunden för ett stabilt samhälle där betalningssystem är en viktig del. Livsmedelsbutiker förser befolkningen med dagligvaror och är beroende av kundernas konsumtion. Störningar i kortbetalningssystemet medför konsekvenser eftersom 97 % av alla kunder har tillgång till kortbetalning och är den betalningsmetod de föredrar att använda.  Målet med undersökningen är att ta reda på livsmedelsbutikers erfarenheter av betalningsstopp och hur de önskar att en bra hantering för detta ser ut. Därefter tas en generell krishanteringsmodell fram som mildrar konsekvenserna av ett betalningsstopp. För att undersöka detta intervjuas butiker angående deras affekter av alternativa betalningsmetoder. En kvalitativ metod används för att få ett resultat utifrån butikernas erfarenheter och önskemål.  Tidigare forskning där metoden beslutsanalys tillämpas för att hantera betalningsstopp inom livsmedelsindustrin hittas inte. Genom intervjuer och teorier tas en krishanteringsmodell för betalningsstopp fram. Resultatet av undersökningen är att livsmedelsbutiker idag inte har någon riskhantering av betalningsstopp eller uppfattning av hur en önskvärd hantering ser ut. De har tidigare hanterat detta genom att låta kunden betala med kontanter. En mindre butik har låtit kunden betala vid ett senare tillfälle. Den generella krishanteringsmodellen sker i tre steg: förstudier, hantering och utvärdering. I förstudierna ser butiken över vilka betalningsmetoder de är kapabla till att implementera. I hanteringsfasen itereras tre steg; erbjuda alternativa betalningsmetoder, se hur krisen utvecklas och slutligen åtgärda det. Utvärderingssteget i modellen är viktig eftersom ett positivt utfall inte kan garanteras och därför uppmuntras fortsatt forskning av denna.