Myth Busters – Statistical Mystery Solved?
We have all heard and/or read the oft quoted “40% of all businesses experiencing a crisis go out of business within one year…”. Ever wonder where that statistic came from? For many years a colleague of mine, unfortunately now deceased, searched for the answer; to no avail. No one could actually cite the source for this statistic. Many refer to FEMA or the US Small Business Administration: Continue reading
At the time of this writing coronavirus is spreading in China and is appearing in other areas of the world. Seasonal flu is also spreading through much of the world. As a comparison, the below graphics provide a snapshot of the current situations. First is the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) graphic with its representative statistics. Alarming? CDC estimates 19 – 26 million flu illnesses; currently there have been approximately 8,000 flu deaths. Alarming? Continue reading
I just finished reading two very different books; one a novel, the other a fact-based investigative report. The first book, entitled “Second Sleep” by Robert Harris (ISBN 9780525656692) is fiction. The second book, entitled “Lights Out” by Ted Koppel (ISBN 9780553419962) is a critical look at how unprepared we are for a cyberattack on our electric grid. Two very different books, yet they overlap in many ways. Continue reading
Some interesting points about how organizations apply current standards such as Business Impact Analysis (Assessment) (BIA), risk assessment methodologies, compliance and planning has been written about lately. Each author presents good arguments for their particular methodology. Nassim Taleb created the concept of “Antifragile” because he did not feel that “resilience” adequately described the need for organizations to be ready to absorb the impact of an event and bounce back quickly. Continue reading
Merriam Webster Dictionary defines reputation as:
1a: overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general
b: recognition by other people of some characteristic or ability has the reputation of being clever
2: a place in public esteem or regard: good name; trying to protect his reputation Continue reading