Business Continuity Preparedness and the Mindfulness State of Mind

Today, with the growing dependence on technology and increasing population growth, the impact of man-made and natural disasters, on human lives and financial losses, is greater than ever. Though some businesses are investing in business continuity planning, others are still reluctant. “An estimated 80 percent of companies without a well-conceived and tested business continuity plan, go out of business within two years of a major disaster” (Santangelo 2004). In this study, we explore why firms in the financial services industry make varying decisions for business continuity planning. Our focus is on business continuity planning for information technology in which we investigate the state of mind of chief executives, within organizations. By applying mindfulness / mindlessness cognitive processes and decision making theories, we attempt to provide insights into what conditions obstruct mindfulness in business continuity planning.