Crisis Action Plan for Amazon Inc.
UPDATED: Choose any Organization or you can you Amazon and attached are the CAP Template
Crisis_Action_Plan_Template_(21).docx
CAP_Grading_Rubric_(7).docx
CAP_Grading_Rubric_(7)_001.docx
You must use the provided CAP template. Write a crisis action plan for an organization of your choice.
IMPORTANT NOTE: It is HIGHLY recommended that you not wait until the last minute. This assignment is your opportunity to synthesize and integrate everything you have learned to date into a document that could save your organization from disaster at some unforeseen point in the future. Don’t take the opportunity lightly. The products of this exercise are currently in place, in use, in real- word organizations around the world.
If your chosen organization is hesitant about providing you the required access, an enclosed support letter is provided for your use.
Try o review where we have come so far: You have been introduced to the Strategic Foresight Initiative and the concepts of future studies, which have given you tools to use in visualizing the future and forecasting the threats that your chosen organization may face. You have been introduced to the likely impacts of global warming, which for the rest of our lifetimes will likely be the elephant in the room with respect to the threats that we as individuals, workplaces, societies, and humankind will face. You have been introduced to crisis action planning, with focus on the complexity of the challenges that need to be faced. Now it’s time to put it all together.
You have undoubtedly noted that everything you have been presented with to date is largely unstructured. Some of the authors you have read have asserted that the problem of crisis action planning is so complex that it can’t be completely forecast, modeled, or subjected to efforts to enclose it in a structure. On the one hand, that’s fine, because it gives a glimpse of the complexities that need to be dealt with. On the other hand, that’s not fine, because it leaves little to work with.
For that reason, the crisis action plan you submit will be written into the enclosed template. The purpose of the template is to provide organization to chaos, with the ultimate intent being to give the student and the student’s beneficiary organization something operational to work with.
Be aware of your audience. Your user will be someone who is not an academic that is interested in a theoretical discussion about planning. Your user will be someone who is perhaps in a panicky state of mind and is picking up your plan because they want to know what to do right now. Therefore, it wouldn’t be appropriate to include citations and references. Your user won’t have time to look them up.
The plan has appendices for contact information. Feel free to protect the privacy of your organizational staff by using fictitious names and phone numbers.
You may accomplish this plan in isolation, but in doing so, recognize the limitations in perspective you will bring to the table that some of the authors have talked about. Better is to accomplish the plan as a group project within your organization, with the group being as diverse as possible. As noted, don’t hesitate. Form your forecasting and planning team as quickly as possible and get them to brainstorming what needs to be thought of and what needs to be done. Be thorough. Be comprehensive. Make it a great crisis action plan.
And one additional note: This assignment produces more than its share of plagiarism reports, so be sure to consider the following: The purpose of the assignment is to demonstrate mastery of the concepts you learned in class.
Therefore it is completely inappropriate to utilize any plans that already exist for your organization, even if you wrote that particular plan. This assignment requires application of a new skill set based on future studies, the forum threat assessment, recognition of potential ‘black swan’ events, etc. Nothing that you have currently on file takes these into consideration. Guaranteed
APA can be relaxed a bit for this assignment. If your plan would look better single-space, that would be fine. If bullet statements helps accent important information, then use of them would be fine as well.
This assignment to be properly matured and developed, is required to be a minimum of 15 pages of content, to include graphic (page count does not count cover and reference pages).
For
Amazon Inc
Activation Instructions
The plan will be activated where a crisis jeopardizes the critical business functions of Amazon. The Crisis Management Team (CMT) Leader would be responsible for activating the plan.
Table of Contents Mission. 4 Purpose. 4 Applicability. 4 Objectives. 4 Assumptions. 4 Organization. 5 a) Staff protection. 6 b) Direct production and processes. 6 c) Support – logistics and personnel 6 a. Natural and Man-made Disasters. 7 i) Earthquake. 7 ii) Hurricane and Tornado. 7 iii) Severe fire. 7 iv) Terrorist attacks. 8 v) Riots. 8 vi) Warehouse accidents. 8 b. Product and Process Disasters. 8 c. Fictitious Disasters. 8 i) Fake reviews. 8 ii) Fake news. 9 iii) Smear campaign. 9 a) Physical Facility Protection. 10 b) Product and Process Protection. 10 c) Personnel Protection. 10 d) Reputation and Goodwill Protection. 11 a) Natural & Man-made Disasters. 12 b) Product & Process Disasters. 12 c) Fictitious Disasters. 13 a) Operations Team.. 14 b) Communications Team.. 14 c) Logistics Team.. 14 d) Information Technology Team.. 14 e) Administrative Team.. 14 a) Physical and facility restoration. 16 b) Reputation and goodwill restoration. 16 c) Emotional and psychological recovery. 16 Appendix A: Contact Information. 17 Appendix B: Implementing the plan. 17 Appendix C: Taskings. 17 Operations Team.. 17 Logistics Team.. 17 Communications Team.. 17 Information Technology Team.. 17 Administrative Team.. 17 Appendix D: Maintaining the plan. 18 Appendix E: Approval 18
Introduction
Mission
Amazon Inc. is an American multinational technology company that operates in diverse areas like e-commerce, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. Amazon has grown to become one of the most valuable companies globally. The company’s corporate mission is to provide clients with the lowest possible prices, the best selection, and the most convenience. Amazon’s vision is to be the most customer-centric company where clients can discover whatever they want to purchase online. The company is obsessed with its customers, hence its commitment to operational excellence.
Purpose
The Crisis Management Plan (CMP) aims to minimize or prevent the loss of property or if a crisis occurs. It is meant to help effectively manage the impact of a crisis and recover from it. The plan establishes the advanced arrangements and processes that will enable Amazon to respond to a crisis in ways that facilitate critical business functions in the case of a heightened level of disruption.
Applicability
The plan will be activated through the Crisis Management Team (CMT) Leader. The leader will contact the relevant authorities and determine the CMT groups that should be activated. Depending on the severity of the crisis, the leader will involve more team members. The various representatives shall assemble at the Amazon headquarters office in Seattle, Washington. If a physical meeting is not viable, the leader can initiate an online meeting.
Objectives
The plan will be used to assist Amazon in dealing with a set of crises. Firstly, it will assist in the evacuation of staff and customers. When an internal threat makes it safer outside, the plan will help the CMT to get all people safely outside the premises. Secondly, it will be employed in reverse evacuation if the conditions are safer inside the building than outside. For instance, a spillage of materials outside a warehouse would necessitate the need to confide in people inside the building. Lastly, the plan will be used to facilitate shelter in place. If the CMT establishes that evacuating people will place them at risk, then a shelter in place would be used.
Assumptions
The following assumptions are used in the development of the plan. Firstly, where the police or emergency medical services are involved, they will assume responsibility for all emergency activities. Amazon will allow the emergency services to undertake their activities. Secondly, all communications shall originate from the Information Officer. They shall coordinate all Amazon’s communications, including the media houses. Thirdly, no other employee will be authorized to speak to the press or comment on any matter. Workers are advised to avoid releasing any information since this could lead to miscommunication during the crisis. Staff members shall direct all their concerns to the Information Officer and get directions accordingly. Lastly, Amazon will not reveal victims’ names or any other details that may identify them unless authorized by the victim or their representatives. This will ensure that the company maintains the privacy of the victims.
Organization
The plan will be implemented by the CMT. The team will be led by the CMT leader, who will work with representatives from various key areas. These include operations, communications, logistics, information technology, and administration. Critical Organizational Functions
a) Staff protection
Amazon values its employees and considers them the most important asset. All individuals working in the various departments must be protected in the case of a crisis. Staff protection is the priority of the CMT. All the employees must be transferred to safe places inside or outside the buildings depending on the type of crisis. The company must account for all the workers when a disaster occurs. This will ensure that the CMT can track the progress of all the workers.
b) Direct production and processes
Amazon’s data centers are critical and need to be supplied with electricity. If a disaster causes power disruption, backup generators should be initiated to ensure that all data centers are powered. Further, internet connectivity to the data centers should be restored to ensure that Amazon Web Services users can continue accessing the service.
Additionally, communication is critical for the operation of Amazon, even during a crisis. Individuals need to remain informed of the progress of the CMT in dealing with the disaster. Communication will ensure coordination of all the processes. It will facilitate finding solutions to complex problems brought about by the crisis.
c) Support – logistics and personnel
Amazon e-commerce depends on logistics and personnel. Products ordered from Amazon’s e-commerce platform need to be delivered to clients. This means that logistics should be restored to avoid disrupting clients’ orders. Personnel needed to transport products must be prioritized since they are responsible for ensuring that orders reach clients on time.
Threat Forecast
a. Natural and Man-made Disasters
i) Earthquake
Earthquakes occur when the ground shakes due to a sudden movement of rocks occurring on the earth’s crust. They can take place within a few seconds and last for several minutes. The danger of earthquakes is that they do not have a warning, which means Amazon does not have adequate time to prepare. Large and damaging earthquakes can have adverse effects on the company
* Earthquakes can injure workers and cause death. Large earthquakes can lead to loss of lives and injure Amazon workers. Employees are the most valuable resource needed to achieve business objectives in any organization. When workers are injured or die, this can slow down or stop business operations.
* Earthquakes can destroy Amazon warehouses, offices, and data centers. Violent earthquakes can damage building facilities and make them inaccessible and unusable. Without buildings, Amazon will be unable to operate efficiently. For instance, the destruction of data centers can lead to data loss for clients.
* When a major earthquake occurs near the Amazon facility, it will disrupt business operations. It would be impossible to operate well in areas hit by a major earthquake.
* It can also lead to flooding and fire, which would bring subsequent problems to the organization. Floods and fires can destroy more facilities and documents. The two can also lead to loss of lives and injuries to workers.
* A major earthquake can interrupt the transportation of goods. Earthquakes will disrupt the transportation network Amazon. This means that products ordered on Amazon’s e-commerce platform may not reach clients.
ii) Hurricane and Tornado
If a tornado hits Amazon premises, it can lead to the following:
* Destruction of buildings like warehouses, data centers, and offices. This would lead to losses, requiring the business to spend more money replacing and repairing the damaged facilities.
* Closure of businesses for repairs for days or even weeks. This will be costly because it would stop operations to pave the way for repairs.
* Skyrocketing insurance costs because of the increase in the number of claims that insurance companies have to process in the aftermath of the destruction.
* There could be loss of lives and injuries to workers, adversely affecting the company’s human resources.
iii) Severe fire
Fire can occur because of human error, faulty equipment, or arson. Severe fire has the following effects on Amazon:
* Infrastructural damage. Fire can damage any physical property belonging to the company. It can be impossible for the business to save anything. If the situation is difficult, firefighters may be unable to contain the fire and may be forced to stand back and wait for it to calm down
* Loss of assets. Business assets are likely to burn, including documents, stock, computers, and other important assets for Amazon.
* Fatalities to workers and clients. Fire may adversely affect the workers and customers around. Even when loss of life and injuries do not occur, Amazon can have a hard time attracting and retaining new employees and clients. They may feel that the business is negligent.
iv) Terrorist attacks
Terrorist attacks can lead to the following challenges:
* Business downtime. Resolving a terrorist incidence can take days, significantly affecting the operations of Amazon. Investigations may time as authorities establish the cause of the attack and look for the perpetrators.
* Brand reputation ruin. Employees and customers may feel insecure around Amazon premises after a terrorist attack. Multiple questions can arise about the safety of the premises. Customers may doubt the company’s ability to ensure safety and security.
v) Riots
Amazon has a significant number of employees working directly or indirectly. If a major riot occurs, it can:
* Disrupt business operations. The company will be unable to process the transaction. Customers may not get their ordered items on time.
* Property damage. Violent riots can lead to the destruction of Amazon buildings and facilities.
vi) Warehouse accidents
The following accidents can occur in Amazon warehouses
* Pallet Rack Collapses. Pallet racks can collapse, injuring workers in the warehouse. The failure to properly stow materials safely can be catastrophic.
* Slips, trips, and falls. A slippery floor can cause workers to slip and fall.
b. Product and Process Disasters
Products may be discovered to be harmful to the public. For instance, Amazon’s e-commerce may discover stocked products deemed to be of poor quality and hence likely to harm the public and the environment. This could be a result of following poor processes in making the product.
A manufacturer can indicate that one of the products causes significant harm to the public hence the need to restock it. If the product is stocked in large quantities and some of it is sold to the public, there is a need to eliminate the product and get it out of the market.
c. Fictitious Disasters
i) Fake reviews
Amazon is likely to experience an increase in fake reviews on its site. The increase in competition among sellers on Amazon’s e-commerce platform is likely to cause a surge in fake reviews. This entails where products are rated higher and with more positive reviews, which assists a brand to stand out. When shoppers compare different versions of the same category of products, differentiating real from fake starts and comments can be overwhelming. “Incentivized reviews” entail shoppers are forced to give positive reviews to get refunds and gift cards. Such reviews come from customers who are not real buyers of a particular product. As a result, shoppers cannot tell if the five-star reviews are legitimate or artificially inflated. Sellers are unsure which products to trust, considering many sellers on the platform. Further, Amazon faces the threat of the same fake reviews being coordinated on social media platforms, where the company does not have any control. Even when Amazon puts measures against fake reviews on its site, traders are likely to shift to social media. The trade of reviews is likely to intensify on social media platforms, especially Facebook.
ii) Fake news
Fake news entails the propagation and consumption of fake false, inaccurate, and misleading information. They are meant to cause public alarm against an individual or organization. Amazon is a reputable company with products that are consumed worldwide. Fake news can damage the reputation of the company. A public alarm can also reduce customer confidence in Amazon’s brand. The result would negatively impact the sale of products and services. For instance, fake news highlighting Amazon Web Services (AWS) security vulnerability can cause alarm for individuals and companies that have hosted their websites with the company. This may lead to users migrating to other platforms that the fake news deems secure. As a publicly-traded business, fake news can lead to a reduction in stock prices. False or...