BCI Business Continuity Management & Strategy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which BCI Good Practice Guidelines stage involves identifying the minimum resources needed to resume critical activities?
- Business Impact Analysis
- Resource Requirements Analysis (Correct answer)
- Recovery Time Objective Setting
- Threat and Risk Assessment
Correct answer: Resource Requirements Analysis
Resource Requirements Analysis determines the minimum staffing, technology, facilities, and supplies needed to resume critical business activities at their minimum acceptable level.
Question 2: A company's BCM program is described as 'embedded' in the BCI Maturity Model. What does this mean?
- BC plans are stored in a central document repository
- BCM is integrated into day-to-day business processes and culture (Correct answer)
- The program has passed an external audit
- Recovery procedures are automated using software tools
Correct answer: BCM is integrated into day-to-day business processes and culture
An embedded BCM program means continuity thinking is part of normal business operations, decision-making, and organizational culture rather than a standalone compliance exercise.
Question 3: What is the PRIMARY purpose of a Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) policy?
- Define recovery time objectives for all systems
- Set the scope, objectives, and management commitment for the BCM program (Correct answer)
- List all threats and their likelihood scores
- Specify the format of Business Continuity Plans
Correct answer: Set the scope, objectives, and management commitment for the BCM program
The BCMS policy establishes top management's commitment, defines the scope of the program, and sets high-level objectives that guide the entire BCM lifecycle.
Question 4: During a BIA, a department reports its MTPD as 72 hours. What does this tell the BCM practitioner?
- The department must recover within 72 hours or the impact becomes unacceptable (Correct answer)
- The department can tolerate disruption indefinitely after 72 hours
- Recovery operations must be completed in exactly 72 hours
- The department's systems require 72 hours to back up
Correct answer: The department must recover within 72 hours or the impact becomes unacceptable
MTPD (Maximum Tolerable Period of Disruption) is the maximum time a business activity can be disrupted before consequences become unacceptable to the organization.
Question 5: A BCM strategy calls for a 'work area recovery' solution. Which scenario does this BEST address?
- Loss of key supplier contracts
- Inability of staff to access their normal workplace (Correct answer)
- Failure of a cloud-based IT system
- Reduction in customer demand
Correct answer: Inability of staff to access their normal workplace
Work area recovery provides alternative workspace with necessary equipment so staff can continue working when their normal premises are inaccessible or unusable.
Question 6: ISO 22301 requires organizations to conduct BCM exercises. What is the MINIMUM frequency implied by the standard?
- Monthly
- Annually
- Every two years
- The standard specifies intervals must be planned but does not mandate a specific frequency (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The standard specifies intervals must be planned but does not mandate a specific frequency
ISO 22301 requires that exercises be conducted at planned intervals relevant to the organization's risks, but it does not prescribe a mandatory annual or fixed frequency.
Question 7: Which recovery strategy option carries the HIGHEST cost but provides the fastest recovery capability for IT systems?
- Cold standby site
- Warm standby site
- Hot standby site (Correct answer)
- Reciprocal arrangement with a partner organization
Correct answer: Hot standby site
A hot standby site is fully equipped and mirrors the production environment in near real-time, enabling the fastest recovery but at the greatest ongoing cost.
BCI Business Continuity Management & Strategy 2
Which BCI Good Practice Guidelines stage involves identifying the minimum resources needed to resume critical activities?