Assessment – task In your role as a Security Consultant for a large, UK based NGO, you have been asked by the CEO to develop a wider organisational resilience strategy and capability. The aim is to enable the NGO to plan and organise effective

Unit Number and Title:

Unit 4 Organisational Resilience

Unit Lead:

Assessment

A 3500-word strategic proposal

Assessment task

In your role as a Security Consultant for a large, UK based NGO, you have been asked by the CEO to develop a wider organisational resilience strategy and capability. The aim is to enable the NGO to plan and organise effectively in anticipation of future crisis or continuity issues.

Further details, a description of the organisation, its activities and its current Security Risk Management framework can be seen at Annex A and B.

Task

Your task is to produce a strategic proposal for the CEO.

The proposal must provide the rationale and requirement for the development of an Organisational Resilience strategy based on the identification of the various component functions and the requirement for a coherent strategic approach. (LO1 AC 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4)

The strategy is to include justification for the selection and development of recommended approaches based on the key requirement for the organisation to recognise the importance of critical factors and functions that need to be protected and maintained. (LO2 AC 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4)

The proposal requires you to include comprehensive coverage of the requirements and measures that the organisation may wish to implement and include in relation to the identification and management of business impacts; both internal and external, in the face of challenges to resilience. (LO3 AC 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4)

Your proposal is to provide a detailed rationale for the inclusion of planning in relation to management of human resources in the resilience context. This should include recognition of the need for the organisation to build a resilient structure that is fit for purpose and makes best use of human assets at all levels. (LO4 AC 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4)

Structure and Guidance

The proposal should be 3500 words in length (+/- 10%); this means that the minimum length is 3150 words and the maximum 3850 words – do not write too much or not enough.

The proposal should have:

1. An introduction – explaining what the proposal will cover and why
2. A main body covering the task contents
3. A summary and conclusion with recommendations for the CEO

The paper is to be written and delivered in a format suitable for reading by organisational management. You should not use slang or jargon. Acronyms or abbreviations should not be used without introducing them in full the first time they are used.

Your work must be 1.5 spaced and in Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman font size 12.

All diagrams, quotations and sources of information and content are to be fully and correctly Harvard referenced.

Proofread and spell-check your work. It can be helpful to ask someone else to read and check for errors before you submit.

All work must be your own and not copied from any other source, including that generated by Artificial Intelligence. Copying is known as ‘plagiarism.’ Frontier Risks use a plagiarism detection system and if detected, your assignment may well be given a ‘fail’ grade.

If you are unclear, unsure, or need guidance about what is required please contact the Unit tutor who will assist you

This assessment uses the following Unit learning outcomes:

LO 1

Understand Organisational Resilience capability

LO 2

Understand criticality management in Organisational Resilience

LO 3

Understand impact analysis, management, and response methodologies

LO 4

Understand the role and importance of human factors in organisational resilience

Submission details

This assessment should be submitted electronically. Please use the relevant submission point in the Unit area named SRMC Level 6 – Unit 4 Assignment.

Submit using the link that looks like this:

Please upload your Unit 4 assignment below for marking. Please do NOT date your assignments as your work will only be submitted for marking once all tasks are complete.

Y/N

POINTS TO CHECK – HAVE YOU?

Read and understood all of the Assignment Brief?

Read and understood the assessment criteria?

Met the learning outcomes and used the titles and annotations?

Used an academic tone throughout your work? Is your work formal, focused, and clear without slang or jargon?

Checked that the referencing in your work is correct?

Proof-read and checked your spelling and grammar?

Kept to the word count (or equivalent)?

Confirmed that the work submitted is your own and not plagiarised?

Marking Criteria

The criteria below are used by assessors to check that your assessment meets the required standards. Before submitting your work, please ensure that it matches the Pass criteria

LO

Assessment Criteria

Pass

Fail

LO1

Understand Organisational Resilience capability

The student should provide a justification for the Strategic Proposal based on the context of an organisational need to bring together the component elements and functions of organisational resilience into a coherent, all-inclusive capability. There will be an explanation of the optimal requirements in structure and a linkage of the definitions of organisational resilience and its aims to the attributes that the organisation should include in its strategy. It should be clear to the reader why an organisational resilience strategy is necessary.

1.1 Explain the sub-activities and components of organisational resilience capability

The various sub activities are covered and discussed with their contributions to OR identified. Linkage to typical areas of business/organisations where each is applicable will provide optimal value to the notional client. Organisation-wide attributes such as effective planning and people management will be covered.

Either a focus on one or very few of the contributing activities or components; or an ineffective skimming over each without demonstration of research or any use of examples/evidence to support any proposal.

1.2 Analyse case studies of incoherent responses to security risks and the associated penalties

A good selection of a case study from the numerous examples available to illustrate how organisations may fail to meet the challenges posed to them. The case study will be relatively recent to reflect the technological and societal developments that change the risk landscape. Well researched and referenced.

Inappropriate, out of date or poorly researched case study with minimal links to the study subject or demonstrable applicability to the client organisation. Unconvincing element of the proposal

1.3 Explain the issues causes by conflict between sub activities

A sound identification of the varying influences within organisations that may affect their ability to manage effectively when resilience is needed. Discussion of the conflict between restricting activity to protect assets and resources while the organisation may    wish to have more freedom to manoeuvre and operate.

Insufficient coverage of the elements of organisational resilience that may conflict or operate in opposite directions. Superficial coverage and lack of understanding demonstrated about of the damaging effects of conflicting effort.

1.4 Discuss the development of coherent approaches to organisational resilience

A well-researched discussion of the areas within the organisation that can work collaboratively to provide organisational resilience. These areas will be identified beyond the simple “protective” areas and will include management and HR, for example. Provides a basis for recommendations within the proposal.

Lack of research or demonstrable understanding of the importance of coherent capability across the organisation that can result in capability gaps and resilience failures. Insufficient justification for recommendations in this proposal.

LO2

Understand criticality management in Organisational Resilience

The Strategic Proposal will need to emphasise the importance of critical functions and the need to be able to respond to their loss or degradation, and the requirement for organisations to respond and recover from issues in time constrained environments.

2.1 Explain the value of criticality management and levels of importance to the organisation

A clear and logical discussion concerning the importance of understanding criticality of specific functions and organisational attributes to success organisational resilience capability. Convincing case for assessing and understanding criticality.

Inability to affectively explain or discuss the importance of criticality to the organisation and the failure to use effective examples of organisational                                structures                                   that inappropriately ignore criticality as an effective survival planning factor.

2.2 Analyse the importance of time as the lead critical element

A good demonstration of understanding and explanation, using examples, of the need to ensure that organisations can meet time requirements to return to an effective organisational capability. Good coverage of the specific importance of time imperatives where degradation to organisational capability has occurred.

Little or no reference, explanation, or demonstration of understanding of the importance of time criticality to the organisation. A lack of compelling argument or basis for recommendations for the organisation to include time imperatives in its planning.

2.3 Discuss the phases of response and recovery

A clear demonstration of understanding referring to models and examples of the sequential phases of response and recovery following a negatively impacting incident on the organisation.

Incorrect or insufficient coverage of the phases of response and recovery, failing to identify where these may impact upon the organisation if not followed and planned for effectively.

2.4 Discuss how organisations can build coherent approaches to criticality assessment

Good analysis and evaluation of the approach that organisations can and should take towards the identification of critical elements that may affect it. Inclusion of supporting case study or example. Compelling case for holistic management.

Insufficient coverage or analysis of the overall requirement for organisations to take a holistic approach to criticality assessment to maintain organisational resilience

LO3

Understand impact analysis, management, and response methodologies

The student should also be able to evaluate and explain the importance or minimising impact and consequence, incorporating into the Proposal clear recommendations for the development of a resilience capability that is able to offer effective anticipation and mitigation of risks and impacts

3.1 Explain the importance of impact analysis as the basis of OR

Demonstration of good understanding of the importance of impact assessment and management as a key component of risk analysis. Evaluation of its importance as the basis of effectively planning for organisational resilience. Evidence of understanding of consequential impact.

Lack of demonstrable understanding of impact and its importance to the organisation. Failure to effectively illustrate how an organisation may fail or suffer a lack of organisational effectiveness due to misidentification or ignorance of impact and consequence.

3.2 Undertake comparative analysis of impact within organisations and with stakeholders

Good understanding demonstrated of the importance of organisations ensuring that they effectively prioritise impact management across the organisation. Identifying why and how competing priorities may interfere with effective resilience process.

Little or no understanding demonstrated of the importance of impact analysis in the context of the wider organisation. Failing to emphasise the importance of effective organisational prioritisation of impact assessment and response.

3.3 Discuss the importance of supply and logistic dependencies

Detailed analysis of the importance of a coherent supply chain to the organisation and its organisational resilience capability in the short, medium, and long terms. Identification of the risk of extended supply and logistic failures or gaps

Some or little appreciation of the importance and structure of effective supply chains to the ongoing viability of organisations that wish to remain resilient.

3.4 Critically evaluate selected barriers and accelerators of impact capability development

A good analysis of the internal and external barriers to effectiveness for planning and development of organisations. Including management and operational structures as well as incompatibilities of organisational focus with the requirement to plan resilience measures.

Superficial or insufficient demonstration of understanding of the requirement for organisations to have in place structures that allow OR to be planned and implemented. Lack of identification or discussion of management and internal/external barriers.

LO4

Understand the role and importance of human factors in organizational resilience

The proposal will provide an evaluation and analysis of the importance of appropriately structured, selected, trained, and prepared individuals and teams. Aspects of positive and negative organisational personnel and cultural aspects, including those of management levels and capabilities, will be examined and discussed as contributors to the effectiveness or otherwise of Organisational Resilience.

4.1 Critically evaluate how people behave in organisational structures under stress

Effective analysis and examples, linked to theories and models, which illustrate the ways in which people within organisations can positively or negatively affect organisational resilience capability. Good analysis of the effects of pressure and stress.

Insufficient analysis and understanding demonstrated of the effect of stress upon people within organisations. Lack of coverage of the failures of people under stress and their potential for negative effect upon organisational capability and resilience