Operation Contingencies: A Report for Arrow Parcel Delivery Pty Ltd

This report focuses on operation contingencies for Arrow Parcel Delivery Pty Ltd (APD). It begins with an introduction highlighting the importance of proactive disaster management, differentiating between natural and man-made disasters. The report then examines critical business functions like customer service, financial systems, and payroll, emphasizing the need for robust policies and systems. It explores the importance of application service providers, databases, gateways, internet service providers, operating systems, and servers in maintaining business operations. The report further delves into potential threats such as human accidents, cyber-attacks, denial of service, espionage, IT failures, sabotage, and physical security breaches. It discusses the management of these threats through employee training and stringent security policies. Finally, the report outlines APD's contingency plans for various scenarios, including natural disasters, staff resignations, and courier failures, emphasizing the company's commitment to business continuity and employee safety. The report references relevant academic sources to support its analysis.

Operation Contingencies 1
OPERATION CONTINGENCIES
Course:
Tutor:
University:
University location
Date:

OPERATION CONTINGENCIES 2
Assessment Two
Introduction
Natural disasters cannot be prevented or determined as easily as man-made disasters. However,
mobilizing resources to put up a strong control and prevention mechanism may to a far extent
reduce damage that may arise from the disasters. Man-made disasters can be partially detected
whenever it is about to happen, it is the responsibility of the security manager to ensure all
equipment is properly kept and put under lock-key facilities. Burglary can be prevented through
employing stringent measurers when it comes to physical accessibility to the organization
equipment. The logistical measure is to give specific employees physical access mechanism to
the machines and the network; this will prevent any possible attacks in cahoots with other
employees.
Customer service functions
Customer care has been complimented as one the critical part when it comes to retaining
customers, this is supported in the book (De Quevedo 2015). The manner in which the
company’s employees treat customers determines whether the customer will come again or will
recommend the company’s service to a friend, or just disappear. APD should have a good
rapport to its customers and if necessary look for ways to change their customer policy.
Financial system
The financial system of a company is very critical to business growth. This entails how exchange
of funds between investors, borrowers and lenders outside the company (Cooper 2016).
Encouraging investors to buy shares from the company also increases profit margins and

OPERATION CONTINGENCIES 3
possible expansions. APD should open their financial policies to encourage borrowing and
buying of shares by stakeholders
Payroll
Paying your employees in time is encouraging; it makes employees feel motivated hence
improvement in service delivery. The employers’ payroll should be riddled with useless
subscriptions automated by the company; it should be a personal choice.
Application service provider
This part involves services to customers, what the company offers to customers over the system
network. Customers need not to be travelling to the company headquarters in Sydney or any of
the branches but have necessary customer courtesy of online customer service.
Databases
Information to and from the company is stored in databases. Databases should be properly
protected against any suspicious manipulation that can hinder company operations.
Gateways
A gateway in a company network system refers to default IP addresses that one uses to gain
internet services. APD ltd gateway should only be made available to the internal employees;
otherwise, strangers within the network pose a great risk to the safety of stores data.

OPERATION CONTINGENCIES 4
Internet service provider
An internet service provider is a group or individual in the business of offering internet services
to a company (Frieden 2014). APD has got one of the best ISP, internet services should be
affordable and subject to change depending on speed and efficiency in using the network
Operating system
The operating system of a company plays a central role in controlling and ensuring information
in the network is accurately channeled to intended destination. The APD ltd operating system
should be well encrypted and subject to manipulation by the company system manager so as to
suit current business policies.
Servers
Internet servers in a company should be situated in a safe place. Arrow Parcel Delivery Pty ltd
backup servers should be fault proof and stored outside the company premises.
My college will have to engage relevant experts in the field of network security in order to have
an outstanding network system. The college network gateways are only made available to
students and staff. However, it is risky since the network does not require student ID number as a
form of keeping off intruders. We have a reliable internet Service provider with a favorable
internet speed. In the college, we use Linux operating system, this is a good operating system
since it is open source and thus appropriate to authorized manipulation to meet college changing
policies.

OPERATION CONTINGENCIES 5
2.
Arrow Parcel delivery Pty ltd should take considerate measures pertaining to backup mechanism.
There should a standby backup server that can serve all the company’s branches. I recommend
that the company use the distributed operating system so that, in case one of the servers at any
branch fails, company operations do not stall.
A delivery/ courier company should ensure technical security of the goods on delivery. APD
should resolve to installing tracking devices on all the courier vehicles such that in case of any
breakdown, a backup vehicle is deployed.
3.
Human accidents
Human accidents may arise from mistakenly formatting the computers or physically damaging
the network equipment. This should be avoided since losing information is costly.
Cyber attack
Cyber-attacks are on rise nowadays, the APD may be attacked and the intruder feed information
to couriers to deliver goods to a different location, this will amount to loses.
Denial services
Denial attacks to APD may lead to the company failing to operate completely.

OPERATION CONTINGENCIES 6
Espionage
Espionage is internal betrayal attacks. It is risky for a company that suffers attacks from within
the company. Espionage on APD may take long to detect hence leading to large losses.
Information Technology failures.
The networking system of a company may fail; this can lead to devastating losses in the
company since the operations may fail completely. APD should have the network system
serviced periodically to avoid last moment embarrassments.
Sabotage
Sabotage may arise from within or outside the company. In order to shun hackers, APD should
use fault proof systems and also install re-known antiviruses like Kaspersky
Physical security
Computer rooms should be well secured and locked once all the employers are out. APD should
install alarms and employ more security agents who will keep track of the premises at night and
off days
Telecommunication network failure
When a communication network fails, most operation may stall, it is therefore advisable that
communication within the company should be made on time to avoid rush hour communication
embarrassments.

OPERATION CONTINGENCIES 7
Natural disasters
Natural disasters can lead to physical damage of communication signal errors in the company.
Weather conditions are predictable; therefore, prior arrangements should be put in place to curb
any impending danger. Earthquakes may also be detected, in case of an impending earthquake,
companies are supposed to transfer important data and equipment from the potential disaster
scene.
4.
Threats can be managed to minimize loses; companies should put in place mechanisms that will
ensure security of its employees and the equipment. Employees should be taken to seminars and
get enlightened on company security issues. Stringent policies should be adopted to curb
sabotage and espionage from within the company; culprits should be prosecuted and even get
fired.
5.
When companies advance in terms of profit generation and general expansions, commercial
needs should be established to boost the upward trend. Statutory requirements may include
adopting of business policies to enhance smooth running of business. The likelihood of a
contingency should be addressed in time.
6.
Arrow Parcel Delivery contingency plans include; natural disasters, sales, staff, purchasing,
customer service, profits and cyber-attacks. Since the company has started courier services, what
might happen if the courier department fails to coordinate supplies? The company has virtually

OPERATION CONTINGENCIES 8
sort cooperation with key transport industry players such that, in case of courier failure, they can
get in to offer assistance. What is a staff member resigns? APD has come up with a policy where
any staff who wants to resign, can freely do so but he/she has to sign an integrity bounding form,
this form binds the particular member from revealing the company operations to any other
organization. What is a natural disaster occurs? APD has asserted that the company staff security
will be of priority in case of the disaster. Rescue services and safety policy has been approved
such that, the company caters for any medical requirements in case an employer gets injured or
dies at work.

OPERATION CONTINGENCIES 9
References
Cooper, MAKM, 2016, 'Contingency and founadtion: Rethinking money, debt, and finance after
crisis', South Atlantic Quarterly, pp. pp. 239-250.
De Quevedo, PM,CJ,RMJAAJ, 2015, 'Contingency assessment and network reconfiguration in
distribution grids including wind power and energy storage', IEEE Transactions on Sustainable
Energy , pp. pp. 1524-1533.
Frieden, R, 2014, 'The Cost and benefits of regulatory intervention in internet service provider
interconnection disputes: lessons from broadcast signal retransmission consent negotiations'.
Stefi, A., Lang, K. and Hess, T., 2016. A contingency perspective on external component reuse
and software project success.