#182 – RETHINKING RISK AND UNCERTAINTY – GEARY SIKICH

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Untitled1-150x150What is risk?  Think about it before you leap to answer.  Do we really know and understand risk?  Some facts to consider:

  • Risk is not static, it is fluid.
  • Risk probes for weaknesses to exploit.
  • Risk, therefore, can only be temporarily mitigated and never really eliminated.
  • Over time risk mitigation degrades and loses effectiveness as risk mutates, creating new risk realities.

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#179 – REDEFINING BUSINESS CONTINUITY – GEARY SIKICH

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Untitled1-150x150Redefining the BIA – Usefulness and Uses

If we agree on the basic premise that Business Continuity can be defined as sustaining what is critical to the enterprise’s survivability during periods of discontinuity; then we must recognize that the activity known as the Business Impact Assessment (Analysis) or BIA needs to be redefined.  The BIA, as currently practiced does not necessarily achieve the following:

  • Define what is critical to the organization;
  • Develop strategies to recover/sustain during times of discontinuity.

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#177 – RECOVERY: LEAST UNDERSTOOD ELEMENT OF BUSINESS CONTINUITY LIFECYCLE – GEARY SIKICH

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Untitled1-150x150The post-crisis recovery phase is one of the least addressed in planning, training and simulations.  This is an area that, if not properly managed, can cost financially, reputationally and operationally.  Communications, internal and external are, at best, misjudged.  Guidelines for recovery are lacking and most entities lose focus when it comes to discussing recovery operations.  It may be that recovery is one of the most complicated of the lifecycle elements and that no two recoveries are going to follow the same pattern.  Continue reading

#173 – PUBLIC APATHY IN THE PATH OF PREPAREDNESS – GEARY SIKICH

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Untitled1-150x150Introduction

I was supposed to be in Boston presenting at “The Disaster Conferences” a few years ago on 28 January 2015.  Well, the weather just put us out to 19 March 2015 for the now, rescheduled Boston conference.  I guess that they are still feeling the effects of this week’s blizzard, now named “Juno”; that left Boston with over 24 inches of snow.   Continue reading

#172 – MATHEMATICAL MODELS, ALGORITHMS, AND RISK MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGIES – GEARY SIKICH

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Untitled1-150x150Introduction

We are enamored by risk models, mathematic algorithms, equations and formulae.  As a matter of fact, we have become so enamored by complex mathematical algorithms, formulas, models and derivatives that we have abdicated much of the analysis of risk, to these complex formulas and quantitative analysis methodologies touted by firms far and wide.  Where has this gotten us?  Are we better able to predict and measure risk exposures?  Are we managing risk more effectively? Continue reading