School of Social Sciences

College of Arts, Law and Education

HSP602
BUSINESS CONTINUITY
MANAGEMENT

Semester 2, 2023
Unit Outline

Ben Brooks and Steven Curnin

CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B

CONTACT DETAILS

Unit coordinator
Unit Coordinator: Ben Brooks
Campus: Off-Campus
Email: benjamin.brooks@utas.edu.au
Phone: 0409 768 583
Room location and number: n/a
Consultation hours: By appointment

Other teaching staff

Lecturer: Steven Curnin
Campus: Sandy Bay, Hobart, Tasmania
Email: steven.curnin@utas.edu.au
Phone: 03 6226 7158
Room location and number: Room 536, Level 5, Social Sciences Building
Consultation hours: By appointment

© The University of Tasmania 2023

CONTENTS
COVID SAFETY 2
WHAT IS THE UNIT ABOUT? 3
UNIT DESCRIPTION 3
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES 3
GRADUATE STATEMENT 3
ALTERATIONS TO THE UNIT AS A RESULT OF STUDENT FEEDBACK 4
HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED? 5
ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE 5
COMPLETION OF TASKS 5
ASSESSMENT DETAILS 6
HOW YOUR FINAL RESULT IS DETERMINED 8
SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS 8
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY 9
WHAT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE? 11
MYLO 11
RESOURCES 11
ACTIVITIES 11
COMMUNICATION 12
CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS 12
LEARNING SUPPORT 13
FURTHER INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE 13
UNIT SCHEDULE 14

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COVID Safety
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our University and the broader community, it is
important that we follow the guidelines for coming onto campus or participating in
UTAS activities or events.
Please consult the Student Coronavirus updates page for up-to-date information on
COVID-19 and anything you need to do as a UTAS student.

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WHAT IS THE UNIT ABOUT?
Unit description
Business Continuity Management is the holistic management process that identifies
potential threats to an organisation and the likely impacts to business operations that
may be caused if those threats materialise. This fully online unit provides you with a
thorough understanding of the concepts and practical applications of Business
Continuity Management. You will gain an appreciation of the issues and elements
that underlie the practice of Business Continuity Management and draw upon
theoretical concepts, real life case studies and relevant standards.
This unit will provide you with the knowledge and skills to translate and communicate
theoretical concepts in Business Continuity Management to tangible outputs for
industry. This unit, together with protective security, crisis management, and the
ability to lead resilient organisations, are collectively the underpinning foundation for
enhancing organisational resilience. The unit provides you with an understanding
and the requisite skills that will be interrelated with these units should you proceed
further with your postgraduate studies in organisational resilience.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
1. Comprehend theoretical approaches in business continuity management.
2. Synthesise and apply relevant theoretical perspectives and concepts to
provide solutions to business continuity management.
3. Produce written work on business continuity management that is clearly
communicated and meets scholarly and industry requirements.

Graduate Statement
Successful completion of this unit supports your development of course learning
outcomes, which describe what a graduate of a course knows, understands and is
able to do. Course learning outcomes are available from the Course Coordinator.
Course learning outcomes are developed with reference to national discipline
standards, Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), any professional
accreditation requirements and the University of Tasmania’s Graduate Statement.

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 The University of Tasmania experience unlocks the potential of
individuals. Our graduates are equipped and inspired to shape and
respond to the opportunities and challenges of the future as
accomplished communicators, highly regarded professionals and
culturally competent citizens in local, national, and global society.
University of Tasmania graduates acquire subject and multidisciplinary
knowledge and skills, and develop critical and creative literacies and
numeracies and skills of inquiry. They demonstrate the ability to apply
this knowledge in changing circumstances. Our graduates recognise
and critically evaluate issues of social responsibility, ethical conduct and
sustainability, are entrepreneurial and creative, and are mindful of their
own wellbeing and that of the community. Through respect for diversity
and by working in collaborative ways, our graduates reflect the values of
the University of Tasmania.

Alterations to the unit as a result of student feedback

Based on student feedback from 2021 and 2022, the marking rubrics for
assessment tasks have been updated.

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HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
Assessment schedule

Assessment task Date due Percent Links to

weighting Intended
Learning
Outcomes

By 4pm on 11th
Assessment Task 1: Online quiz August 2023 15% 1

Assessment Task 2: Write a

1,200 word report that describes By 4pm on
a specific impact analysis for a 25th August 20% 1,2 & 3
business continuity disruption. 2023

By 4pm on 29th
Assessment Task 3: Online quiz 1
15%
September 2023

Assessment Task 4: Write a

2,500 word discussion paper to
support the development or By 4pm on
revision of a business continuity 50% 1,2 & 3
13th October
management system 2023

Completion of tasks
The written assessment tasks are designed so that they can be applied to your own
organisation. However, if this is not possible in your workplace, or you are not
currently working in industry, you may also wish to use a particular type of
organisation or sector that you have an interest in. If you have any concerns about
competing these assessment tasks, please contact your unit co-ordinator.

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Assessment details
Assessment task 1: Online quiz
Task description Multiple choice online quiz. Consisting of 30 questions based
on your learnings from Weeks 1 to 4, the task is designed to
help you assess your own progress in the unit, and your
understanding of key concepts in business continuity
management.
Criterion Measures Intended
Learning Outcome:
Criterion 1 Comprehend theoretical approaches in ILO 1
business continuity management.
Task length Students are to answer 30 multiple-choice questions relating to
material from Weeks 1 to 4. This is an open book quiz,
meaning you can refer to any material. The task is designed to
help you assess your own progress in the unit, and your
understanding of key concepts. You have a strict time limit of
60 minutes to complete the quiz. If you fail the first attempt,
you will have a SECOND attempt. You will NOT receive a
second attempt if you pass the FIRST attempt. Once you open
the quiz you must complete it. The quiz will be available on
MyLO via the quizzes tab at the top of the screen.

Assessment task 2: Write a 1,200 word impact analysis for a

business continuity disruption
Task description Using the concepts you learnt about in weeks 5 and 6, perform
a BIA for a key activity in your organisation. As a minimum,
your BIA methodology must include the following 4 stages:
1.Identify key services; 2.Identify critical processes;
3.Categorise critical processes; 4.Determine continuity
measures.
Please access the Assessment Resources module in the
‘Table of Contents’ that provides the rubric for this assessment
task.
Criterion Measures Intended
Learning Outcome:
Criterion 1 Applied all 4 stages of the BIA ILO2
methodology to assess the impact.
Criterion 2 Incorporated the theoretical concepts from ILO1
Weeks 5 and 6 into every stage of the BIA
methodology.

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Criterion 3 Produces a report that is well structured, ILO3
grammatically correct, and well
referenced.
Task length 1,200 words, excluding tables, diagrams, process flows, and
reference list

Assessment task 3: Online quiz

Task description Multiple choice online quiz. Consisting of 30 questions based
on your learnings from Weeks 5 to 10, the task is designed to
help you assess your own progress in the unit, and your
understanding of key concepts in business continuity
management.
Criterion Measures Intended
Learning Outcome:
Criterion 1 Comprehend theoretical approaches in ILO 1
business continuity management.
Task length Students are to answer 30 multiple-choice questions relating to
material from Weeks 5 to 10. This is an open book quiz,
meaning you can refer to any material. The task is designed to
help you assess your own progress in the unit, and your
understanding of key concepts. You have a strict time limit of
60 minutes to complete the quiz. If you fail the first attempt,
you will have a SECOND attempt. You will NOT receive a
second attempt if you pass the FIRST attempt. Once you open
the quiz you must complete it. The quiz will be available on
MyLO via the quizzes tab at the top of the screen.

Assessment task 4: Write a 2,500 word paper on a business

continuity management system.
Task description Using the BIA that you identified in Assessment Task 2 and
applying the concepts you learnt about in weeks 7-13, identify
a set of recovery options and strategies.
You are then required to critically analyse how this BC plan
can enhance the broader BCM system and contribute to an
improved BC culture in your organisation.
Please access the Assessment Resources module in the
‘Table of Contents’ that provides the rubric for this assessment
task.

Criterion Measures Intended

Learning Outcome:

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 Criterion 1 Use the BIA to identify a set of recovery ILO2
options and strategies.
Criterion 2 Critically analyses how the BC plan can ILO1
enhance the broader BCM system.
Criterion 3 Identify how the plan will contribute to an ILO2
improved BC culture.
Criterion 4 Produces a discussion paper that is well ILO3
structured, grammatically correct, and well
referenced.
Task length 2,500 words, excluding reference list and appendix.

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended
Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any
hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments
Assessment tasks that are assignments must be submitted to the assignments folder
in MyLO by the due date. Submissions can either be in .doc, .docx or .pdf format. No
other formats will be accepted.
Feedback: Feedback on each written assignment will be provided to students in
MyLO. Assignments will be assessed and returned to students within three weeks of
submission.

Requests for extensions

Extensions are granted at the discretion of the unit coordinator. All requests for
extensions must be submitted to the unit coordinator prior to the due date. Extension
requests on or after the due date will not be considered.

Penalties*
Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% (of the
original available mark) for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is
late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due
date, or after assignments have been returned to other students, whichever is
shorter.

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Review and appeal of academic decisions
For processes guiding the review and appeal of University academic decisions
(related to credit, assessment, final unit grades, progress status and special
consideration) see the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.

Academic integrity
What is academic integrity?
At the University of Tasmania, academic integrity requires all students to act
responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and
communicating information with other students and staff members. The University
community is committed to upholding the Statement on Academic Integrity.
Breaches of academic integrity such as plagiarism, contract cheating, collusion and
so on are counter to the fundamental values of the University. A breach is defined as
being when a student:
a) fails to meet the expectations of academic integrity; or
b) seeks to gain, for themselves or for any other person, any academic
advantage or advancement to which they or that other person is not
entitled; or
c) improperly disadvantages any other member of the University
community.
The University and any persons authorised by the University may submit your
assessable works to a text matching service, to obtain a report on possible breaches
such as plagiarism or contract cheating. Substantiated breaches can result in a
range of sanctions which are outlined in the Student Academic Integrity Ordinance.
More information is available from the Academic Integrity site for students on the
Student Portal.

Academic Integrity Training Module

As part of the University’s educative approach to academic integrity, there is a short
Academic Integrity Training Module on MyLO that all students are required to
complete.
Completion of the module allows you to demonstrate your understanding of what
constitutes a breach of academic integrity.
All commencing students (pre-degree through to higher degree by research)
are required to complete the Academic Integrity module available through
MyLO. If you do not complete this module your final unit results will be
withheld. You should aim to complete the module within the first few weeks of
commencing study at the University.

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Academic referencing
In your written work you will need to support your ideas by referring to scholarly
literature, works of art and/or inventions. It is important that you understand how to
correctly refer to the work of others and maintain academic integrity.
Failure to appropriately acknowledge the ideas of others may constitute a breach of
academic integrity.
The appropriate referencing style for this unit is American Psychological Association
(APA) 7th Style.
The University library provides information on presentation of assignments, including
referencing styles and should be referred to when completing tasks in this unit.
For further information, see the Academic Integrity site for students on the Student
Portal.

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WHAT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES ARE
THERE?
MyLO
MyLO is the online learning environment at the University of Tasmania. This is the
only system you will require and MyLO will host all of the online learning materials
and activities that you will need to complete this unit.

Getting help with MyLO

It is important that you are able to access and use MyLO as part of your study in this
unit. To find out more about the features and functions of MyLO, and to practice
using them, visit the Getting Started in MyLO unit.
For access to information about MyLO and a range of step-by-step guides in pdf,
word and video format, visit the MyLO Student Support page on the University
website.
If something is not working as it should, contact the Service Desk (phone 6226 2600
or request ITS help online through the Service Portal).

Resources
Required readings
All required resources, including readings, will be provided to you through the unit’s
MyLO page.

Activities
Learning expectations
The University is committed to high standards of professional conduct in
all activities, and holds its commitment and responsibilities to its
students as being of paramount importance. Likewise, it holds
expectations about the responsibilities students have as they pursue
their studies within the special environment the University offers.
Students are expected to participate actively and positively in the
online learning environment by using the discussion boards as
requested by the unit coordinator.
There is an option to attend 2 optional virtual activities during the
semester that are held in weeks 6 and 12 from 6pm to 7:30pm.

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Details of teaching arrangements
All material for this unit are delivered online through the MyLO site and will use a
combination of resources to aid in your learning. This includes watching the mini-
lectures and YouTube videos, reading the content on the MyLO site and the
recommended papers, exploring the topics in detail by completing the two written
assignments and by completing the online quiz.

This is a fully online course and so no on-campus attendance is required. However,

in this unit, your active engagement will be monitored in the following way:
1. Self-introduction (less than 150 words) that includes your name, current role,
why you are taking the unit and what you expect to gain from the unit. This is
due on the ‘student space’ discussion board by 4pm on Friday end of Week 2.
2. Completion of Assessment Task 1 by 4pm on Friday end of Week 5.

Teaching and learning strategies

You will use a combination of resources to aid in your learning. This includes
watching the mini-lectures and YouTube videos, reading the content on the MyLO
site and the recommended papers, exploring the topics in detail by completing the
two written assignments and by completing the online quiz.

Work Health and Safety (WHS)

The University is committed to providing a safe and secure teaching and learning
environment. In addition to specific requirements of this unit you should refer to the
University’s Safety and Wellbeing webpage and policy.

Communication
The teaching staff will use MyLO notices and MyLO emails to communicate
important messages to students. All other communication with the teaching staff
should be by email in the first instance.

Concerns and complaints

The University is committed to providing an environment in which any concerns and
complaints will be treated seriously, impartially and resolved as quickly as possible.
We are also committed to ensuring that a student may lodge a complaint without fear
of disadvantage. In the first instance, students are encouraged (where appropriate)
to attempt to resolve their concerns at a local level, by contacting their Unit

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Coordinator and if the Unit Coordinator can not resolve the issue then the Head of
School. If you have a concern, information about who to contact for assistance is
available on the Complaints and Concerns – Safe and Fair Community Unit page.

Learning support
The University provides a range of face-to-face and online services to help equip
students with the academic and literacy skills that they need to undertake their study.
These services are in addition to the support you receive in each unit from unit
coordinators, lecturers and tutors. For details of these additional services such as
workshops, individual consultation for learning advice, and peer assisted learning
opportunities, please visit the Study Support page.
The University also provides free access to Studiosity, 24/7 online study help for all
UTAS students, enabling them to get feedback on written work within 24 hours or
chat live with a subject specialist anywhere and anytime.
All direct assessment-based feedback is provided only from the staff teaching you
the unit.

Further information and assistance

If you are experiencing difficulties with your studies or assignments, have personal or
life-planning issues, disability or illness which may affect your course of study, you
are advised to raise these with the unit coordinator in the first instance.
In addition to Learning Support, there is a range of University-wide support services
available to you including Student Advisers, Disability Services, and more which can
be found on the Study Support and Safety, Health and Wellbeing pages from the
Current Students portal of the University website.
Should you require assistance in accessing the Library, visit their website for more
information.

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Unit schedule

WEEK DATE TOPIC/ ACTIVITIES RESOURCES/

BEGINNING MODULE/ READINGS/
FOCUS AREA FURTHER
INFORMATION

1 10 July 2023 Overview of BCM

Welcome discussion post due

2 17 July 2023 BCM framework
Friday this week

BCM strategy and

3 24 July 2023
policy

BCM and risk

4 31 July 2023
management

Assessment Task 1 to be
5 7 August 2023 Overview of BIA
completed Friday this week

14 August
6 Conducting a BIA
2023

21 August BC plan Assessment Task 2 to be

7 2023 development completed Friday this week

Mid-semester break

4 September Linkages to other

8 2023 systems

11 September IT disaster
9 2023 recovery

18 September
10 Testing BCM
2023

25 Implementing Assessment Task 3 to be

11 September BCM completed Friday this week
2023
2 October System
12 2023 improvement

Assessment Task 4 to be
9 October Framework
13 uploaded to MyLO by Friday
2023 evaluation
this week

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