BUSINESS CONTINUITY STRATEGIES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: CASE STUDY OF A SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

Abstract

Most businesses have adopted business continuity strategies to face the challenges imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to explore the business continuity strategies adopted by one of the top software development companies in Sri Lanka during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study incorporates a qualitative methodology adopting a case study approach. In light of the ideas expressed by the managers, a business continuity theoretical framework is developed encapsulating business continuity strategies. Accordingly, strategies adopted in preparing for a crisis were establishing a team to handle crisis situations, identifying and classifying potential risks, and incorporating previous experiences as learning points in preparation for crisis. Adoption of ISO standards in business continuity aided in developing strategies to respond to the crisis. In stabilizing the business, the focused company implemented strategies to make use of the opportunities available in the industry, optimized its expenditure on operating costs, and implemented special strategies relevant to managing human resources. In terms of assessment, strategies were prepared to carry on routine checklists and conduct a continuous assessment of the competitors and workforce while updating the risk profiles and risk ratings to match the prevailing crisis.