An Investigation of Business Continuity Management Practices in Services Sectors of Pakistan

Abstract

Businesses need to take certain rational steps to sustain long term continuity under turbulent situations. Business Continuity Management (BCM) is a framework whose systematic execution leads to sustained survival and competitive advantage for business. Both internal and external environmental factors influence accomplishment of BCM framework. The study intends to investigate the impact of strategic planning coupled with top management commitment, training and development for developing competencies, work ethic, resource mobilization and political influence on BCM in services sectors including IT companies and banks operating in Lahore, Pakistan. A structured questionnaire based survey was conducted to collect data from managers from 29 services sectors’ companies including banks and IT companies randomly selected. Findings obtained using structural equation modeling, suggest that strategic planning is insignificant for BCM in services sectors i.e. IT companies and banks but plays consequential role under support of top management commitment. Role of top management commitment in services sectorsis important in reinforcing of strategic plans and decisions in term of successful BCM. Trainings in services sectors are significant predictors of BCM when they contribute to fortifying the best skills and capabilities exhibited for BCM, whereas, competencies of managersin services sectors are appropriate and relevant for implementing BCM practices. Competencies do supportively facilitate the outcome of training and development programs in terms of BCM. Work ethic being an important factor for services sectors contributes to their longstanding continuity. Services sectors efficiently mobilize their resources for successfully achieving the ongoing business continuity. Moreover, political influence has undermining role for BCM and significantly undermines the continuity of services sectors