Assessing Critical Success Factors of Business Continuity During Pandemic: Case Study from Bahrain’s Financial Sector

The financial sector in Bahrain, like many others, deals with unique challenges during pandemics. The aim of this research project is to identify opportunities for strengthening resilience to current and future crises by evaluating key indicators of success for business continuity in Bahrain’s financial institutions. It employs quantitative research methods, questioning experts in the financial sector who are in charge of crisis management and business continuity planning (BCP) with a questionnaire that has been developed. The impact of critical variables on business continuity planning is examined through analysis, including communication, leadership, preparedness, crisis management, and information technology (IT) security. This study provides the foundation for multidisciplinary solutions while highlighting the significance of these factors in supporting business continuity during pandemics. The study employed descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis to provide empirical data regarding the challenges and possibilities for development in Bahrain’s financial sector. Adopting a quantitative research methodology allows for empirical analysis to uncover the efficacy of current business continuity planning (BCP) techniques. Professionals with experience in crisis management and business continuity planning (BCP) from Bahrain’s financial sector were given a questionnaire that was thoughtfully drafted. A significant discovery was made once the questionnaire results were gathered and examined. The findings highlighted the complexities of communication issues in pandemics by showing a negative relationship between crisis management and business continuity planning (BCP). On the other hand, the study found a statistically significant and positive correlation between business continuity planning (BCP) and IT security, effective communication, leadership, and preparedness. By highlighting the need for continuous study and a multidisciplinary approach to address evolving challenges, this project contributes to our understanding of business continuity in the financial sector during pandemics. Financial institutions in Bahrain and beyond are anticipated to benefit from its conclusions, which should help them become more resilient to unforeseen crises and guarantee continuous delivery of critical services during challenging periods.