A new planning paradigm: economic consequences of a pandemic We, as business continuity planners seem to be wary of addressing the issue of a pandemic as a viable scenario for planning. I recently did a tabletop simulation for a client and a presentation on pandemics at a business continuity summit for another client. The tabletop participants reflected on the experience and uniformly expressed to me that the tabletop was one of the most stressful and frustrating experiences that they had participated in. The business continuity summit attendees and many of the speakers who followed me, continued to comment on the material presented, stressing that they needed to rethink their plans. Participants in both events expressed the hope that a pandemic would not materialise. Pandemics cause major economic losses due to absenteeism. Experts predict that during a pandemic up to 30 percent of the global workforce could either be off work due to sickness or stay away due to fear. Absence levels at the expected rates would cause severe problems. The economic impact of H5N1 will be felt around the world. The impact will initially appear in two primary aspects of business. The first will be the availability of the workforce, the second and more unique impact will be in the market place. Read the article (PDF)
•Date: 18th October 2005 •Region: US/World •Type:
Article •Topic: BC general |
