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PPEEEERR RREEVVIIEEWW
The Malaysian Surveyor
an auditable international standard The fieldwork included both survey as well as the QS responses to these
for BCM. Commissioned by the questionnaire and interviews. crises.
British Standards Institution (BSI),
BS 25999 consists of two parts, 4.2 Design Of Survey Questions in the survey
namely BS25559-1: 2006 BCM (Code Questionnaire questionnaire were mostly
of Practice) and BS 25999-2: 2007 structured with a “yes†or “no†option,
(Specifications for BCM). The first The use of surveys as a data a five-point Likert scale rating, as
part of the standard established collection method can be useful in well as multiple-choice or multiple-
general guidelines that covered assessing trends that are not directly response answer set. Some of
some main aspects of BCM such observable (De Vaus, 2002), such as these questions were then followed
as terminology, principles and the perceptions of practitioners on by open-ended questions to allow
processes. The second part, as various issues relating to BCM. further elaboration on their choices.
its name suggested, stated the
specifications and requirements The survey questionnaire began 4.3 Selection Of Respondents
necessary for a BCM audit. This with a request for basic personal
can be utilized to demonstrate information of the individual QS. All QS individuals and firms
compliance through an auditing Consisting of two separate sections, registered with the Singapore
and certification process. It A and B, the main purpose of this Institute of Surveyors and Valuers
thus included details on the survey was generally to explore the (SISV) formed the population of
implementation, operations and BCM implementation issues specific this study. They were contacted
systems with regard to BCM. These to the QS profession in Singapore. to assist in completing the survey
were published in December 2006 Section A sought to gain insights questionnaire. The SISV was
and November 2007 respectively. about the inclusion of BCM in the approached to obtain the contacts
A comparable worldwide standard firm and more importantly, in the of potential respondents given that
would be ISO22399: 2007 Guideline course of the QS work. Section B the Institute is the national body
for incident preparedness and focused on understanding the types representing the QS profession
operational continuity management. of crisis related to the QS job scope in Singapore. Of the 29 listed
firms, two had invalid contact
4.0 Research Methods The use of information and were therefore not
surveys as a data contactable. The 27 remaining firms
4.1 Overview collection method were invited to participate in the
can be useful in survey electronically through email
The literature points towards a assessing trends twice with a three-week interval
culture in the construction industry in between. This was followed up
with BCM as an area that has that are not by reminder telephone calls after
not practiced widely. Even for directly observable two weeks from the last email
organizations that have some form request sent. Several companies
of BCM in place, this seems to be (De Vaus, 2002), chose not to participate primarily
at an infancy stage in terms of such as the on grounds of sensitivity relating
implementation, and kept only to to the topic. Nevertheless, some
within the realms of higher-level perceptions of general questions asked during
management. In addition, publicity practitioners on the telephone calls to them have
and awareness of SS540: 2008 in the various issues provided some useful statistics to
Singapore construction industry also relating to BCM. better understand these QS firms.
seemed to be lacking. It is with this The survey questionnaires were
background in mind that this study also distributed through personal
was conducted to shed more light on contacts as well as to quantity
the following main areas of BCM: surveyors who were registered as
individual members with the SISV.
• Implementation and awareness Collectively, these formed the total
of BCM. population size for this survey.
• Attitudes and interests towards 4.4 Interviews
BCM, and
Four in-depth interviews were also
• Crises faced by the quantity conducted with the BCM coordinator
surveying profession.
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