Five steps to organisational resilience: Being adaptive and flexible during both normal operations and times of disruption

Abstract

This paper outlines the importance of organisational resilience and the need for businesses to take a dynamic, innovative and proactive approach in managing risks to their reputation, operations, financial position and viability. It proposes a way of thinking about resilience that entails more than simply returning to the status quo ante following a disruption. Risks and disruptions should be seen as opportunities to adapt and evolve in the face of hyperconnected networks, advanced cyber threats, highly competitive environments and changing customer expectations. The advent of social media has upped the tempo for organisations, and future technological trends include automation, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and more targeted and innovative cyber attacks. Resilient organisations must increase collaboration and cooperation, both vertically and horizontally, internally and externally. To prepare for and respond to likely disruptions, C-suites must integrate more closely with production and systems. This paper proposes steps that organisations can take to improve their organisational resilience, which will have benefits both for normal operational activities, and when responding in a crisis.