What does "business continuity planning" (BCP) primarily involve?

Business continuity planning (BCP) primarily involves preparing for potential disruptions to ensure that critical operations can continue. The essence of BCP is to establish a framework that allows an organization to respond effectively to unforeseen events, such as natural disasters, cyber-attacks, or other emergencies, that could interrupt normal operations. By identifying critical functions and the resources necessary to maintain those functions, organizations can develop strategies and procedures to minimize downtime and protect assets.

This proactive approach allows businesses to implement measures such as backup systems, alternative work arrangements, and communication plans, thus enhancing resilience and the ability to resume normal operations swiftly following an interruption. BCP is vital for safeguarding not just the business’s operational capability but also its reputation and stakeholder trust during crises.

In contrast, creating new business strategies for expansion focuses more on growth and does not directly relate to maintaining operations during disruptions. Conducting annual employee evaluations is primarily a human resources practice that revolves around performance management. Increasing marketing efforts during a crisis, while potentially beneficial in some contexts, does not address the core objective of ensuring continuity of critical business functions during a disruptive event. Therefore, option B accurately captures the main focus of business continuity planning.