Business continuity & disaster recovery: lessons from Palestine

International Journal of Management (IJM)
Volume 7, Issue 1, Jan-Feb 2016, pp. 26-41, Article ID: IJM_07_01_003
Available online at
/>Journal Impact Factor (2016): 8.1920 (Calculated by GISI) www.jifactor.com
ISSN Print: 0976-6502 and ISSN Online: 0976-6510
© IAEME Publication

BUSINESS CONTINUITY & DISASTER
RECOVERY: LESSONS FROM PALESTINE
Riyad Mustafa Mohammad Abu Shehadeh
Research Scholar, RTM Nagpur University
INTRODUCTION
Acts of terrorism and various widespread natural disasters have
underlined the substantial risk of major operational disruptions to the
financial system. Financial industry participants have common interest in
promoting the resilience of the financial system to such disruptions1.
2

The Palestine Monetary Authority (PMA) being the regulatory authority
for the banking system in Palestine has paid great attention to this vital issue
due to its importance to the stability of the Palestinian banking system
especially in the light of the huge political risk in Palestine resulting from the
Israeli occupation and the impact of occupation on all spheres of the
Palestinians' life mainly the economic sector.
As part of the ongoing efforts of the PMA to preserve the safety and
soundness of the banking sector, enhance the confidence of the public in the
banks, continuity of the financial services and maintaining the financial
stability in Palestine, the PMA has adopted a strategy, plans and processes to
mitigate different kinds of risks facing banks, especially in disasters,
contingency and emergency cases. The business continuity and disaster
recovery regulations issued by the PMA to the banking system in 2012 was

tested practically during 2014 Israeli war against Gaza.
Key words: Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity, Risk Management,
Crisis Management, Alternative Sites (AS).
Cite this Article: Riyad Mustafa Mohammad Abu Shehadeh. Business
Continuity & Disaster Recovery: Lessons from Palestine. International
Journal of Management, 7(1), 2016, pp. 26-41.
/>
IMPORTANCE & OBJECTIVES
Palestine is a unique country. It is not fully independent and does not have full control
over its own land, economy and borders. This has added more challenges and risks
that the banking system had to face, absorb and mitigate. The PMA was proactive to
adapt its supervisory systems and regulations to the best international practices
including in the field of business continuity and disaster recovery. The World Bank

/>
26




Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery: Lessons From Palestine

(WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have commended PMA on its
3
experience in the field of business continuity and disaster recovery . The WB
requested the PMA to participate with the group of payment systems development
with other central banks and the WB aiming to develop crisis management manual for
4
the payment systems . This paper aims at highlighting the singularity of the
Palestinian experience in this field and the impact of the achieved results on financial

stability.

BROAD PROBLEM AREA
Palestine is a unique country with unusual circumstances due to the Israeli
occupation, incursion, curfews and wars that severely impact banks' business
continuity and ability to maintain banking services in stress scenarios. Two years after
the inception of the Palestine National Authority (PNA) in 1994, Intifada (Uprising)
erupted in 1996 and has seriously affected lives of the Palestinians. Economy was
severely hit. The second Intifada erupted in 2000 and it has seriously affected the
business continuity of the banking system, in 2008, 2012, and 2014 several wars were
started by Israel against northern governorates (Gaza). PMA had to take several
measures to coupe up with the results of the wars and its impact on the banking
system and continuation of services to the customers.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS)
The issue of business continuity in the financial industry has attracted international
importance. To this end a joint forum from BCBS and International Organization of
Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and International Association of Insurance
Supervisors (IAIS) was established and issued a paper titled "High-level principles for
Business Continuity" in 2006. The paper has set the definitions of the alternate site as
"the site that is held in readiness for use during a business continuity event to maintain
an organization's business continuity. The term applies equally to the work space or
technology requirements. Organizations may have more than one alternate site. In
some cases, an alternate site may involve facilities that are used for normal day-to-day
operations but which are able to accommodate additional business functions when a
primary location becomes inoperable". The paper has also identified the business
continuity as "a state of continued, uninterrupted operation of a business. Business
continuity management is a whole-of-business approach that includes policies,
standards, and procedures for ensuring that specified operations can be maintained or

recovered in a timely fashion in the event of a disruption. Its purpose is to minimize
the operational, financial, legal, reputational and other material consequences arising
from a disruption". The high-level principles for effective business continuity
management are applicable to both financial industry participants and financial
authorities. Below are a brief of those principles as set by the (BCBS):
Principle 1: financial industry participants and financial authorities should have
effective and comprehensive approaches to business continuity management. An
organization's board of directors and senior management are collectively responsible
for the organization's business continuity.
Principle 2: financial industry participants and financial authorities should
incorporate the risk of a major operational disruption into their approaches to business

/>
27




Riyad Mustafa Mohammad Abu Shehadeh

continuity management. Financial authorities’ business continuity management also
should address how they will respond to a major operational disruption that affects the
operation of the financial industry participants or financial system for which they are
responsible.
Principle 3: financial industry participants should develop recovery objectives that
reflect the risk they represent to the operation of the financial system. As appropriate,
such recovery objectives may be established in consultation with, or by, the relevant
financial authorities.
Principle 4: financial industry participants and financial authorities should include in
their business continuity plans procedures for communicating within their

organizations and with relevant external parties in the event of a major operational
disruption.
Principle 5: financial industry participants’ and financial authorities’ communication
procedures should address communications with financial authorities in other
jurisdictions in the event of major operational disruptions with cross-border
implications.
Principle 6: financial industry participants and financial authorities should test their
business continuity plans, evaluate their effectiveness, and update their business
continuity management, as appropriate.
Principle 7: business continuity management should be reviewed by the financial
authorities. Financial authorities should incorporate business continuity management
reviews into their frameworks for the ongoing assessment of the financial industry
participants under their jurisdiction.

PMA's Business continuity regulations
PMA has developed a road map keeping in mind to maintain soundness, stability and
resilience of the banking system in Palestine. Since 2006 it started to update the entire
required legal infrastructure to meet these objectives including revisiting laws,
5
regulations, instructions and circulars meant to enhance banking supervision . The
business continuity instructions no. 2/2009 that the PMA issued to the banks was a
milestone in this direction. Business continuity management in banks is considered an
important risk management tool. Due to the nature of the political and security
situation in Palestinian that is characterized by instability and volatility, additional
risks resulted that banks in Palestine have to mitigate in addition to the operational
risks and risks of natural disasters. So, the PMA required banks to develop and have a
predetermined business continuity plans. In brief the PMA instructions to the banking
system covered the following main areas:

Definition of business continuity management

The business continuity management means "standardized methods set for the
operational continuity of the business in any bank in emergency situations. It also
includes policies, standards and procedures to be taken to ensure continuity of
operations in emergencies and/ or restore normal operations in a timely manner, in
order to reduce the operational, financial, legal and reputational risks and other
substantial effects of business disruption and emergency cases". All banks in Palestine
were instructed to follow pre identified steps to maintain business continuity in the
event of risk. The business continuity management plan should be defined, written

/>
28




Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery: Lessons From Palestine

and a comprehensive action plan which sets out the procedures, processes and
systems required for the continued restoration of operations at the bank in cases of
disruptions and emergency.
The plan should be determined according to the needs and the vision of each bank
for the business management in emergency situations and risks.
The risks and threats faced by banking system
Banks face different risks and each of them requires a different mitigation measures.
Banks being deposits takers can suffer a huge lose in case of business disruption since
it has a severe impact on the customers confidence. Some of the risks that banks may
face are fraud, theft, extortion, armed robbery, human errors, terrorist operations, civil
disobedience, riots, internal disturbances, strikes and wars. Banks may as well face
natural disasters including fire, flooding, bad snow storms, heavy rains and tornadoes.
Banks may also face air pollution and chemical spill, earthquakes, volcanoes,

epidemics and infectious diseases. Banks are also subject to technical disasters like
communications outages, blackouts, deficiencies in equipment, and shortcomings in
the software.

The scale of the disaster
The scale of the disaster might include one room or set of rooms, entire floor, the
whole building, the entire facility, entire industrial or commercial sector or the entire
State.

The objectives of developing business continuity plans
In addition to the goal of protecting the reputation of the bank through development of
the business continuity plan, there are many other objectives that include reduction of
impact of losses or injuries among individuals and fixed assets and information
systems, promptly and effectively respond to the threats and risks, flexibility and
management capacity in the abnormal conditions characterized by significant
imbalances, enhancement awareness of the banks' staff about the importance and
purpose of business continuity, recovery of the critical processes and the costs,
compliance with the legal requirement of the contracts and relevant laws as well as
maintaining the integrity and quality of business continuity plan and keep readiness
through regular review and update.

The relationship between business continuity management and risk
management
The risk management process is associated with the business continuity plans and
they complement each other as business continuity is integral part of operational risk
management.

The period covered by business continuity management plan
Developing business continuity plan must be made keeping in mind that it should run
to a period not exceeding one month. If the event or the risk continues more than a

month then it becomes an integral part of the environment in which the bank operates
and therefore the bank should develop and have in place working procedures for the
event and not a contingency plan.

/>
29




Riyad Mustafa Mohammad Abu Shehadeh

Responsibilities of the Board and senior management
The responsibilities of the board of directors and senior management include:
1. Adoption of the business continuity plan and any amendments thereto, and the
development of appropriate policies to improve the ability to work in the event of
irregular operating business.
2. Establishment of a special committee to handle business continuity management.
3. Approval of a working team.
4. Ensuring that there is a policy of risk management processes, developed and
constantly updated and to make sure their application.

5.

Allocation of the necessary resources, including financial and qualified human
resources.

6. Receiving reports regarding the progress of the of business continuity, including the
results of the implementation and examination of the plan, and the errors found in the
application process of the plan.

7. Ensuring review of the plan by an independence party such as internal or external
auditor.

The use of historical data and databases
All banks must prepare and create a detailed database of all operations and functions
in the bank and that the data include:
1. All the detailed operations and functions in the bank and the time to complete them as
well as the required number of needed staff.
2. Detailed customers data and the nature of the services provided to them and their
addresses.
3. Detailed data on staff and their skills and the processes and functions.

The review and update of the plan
The plan must be reviewed and updated periodically, based on the following:
1. Examination results.
2. Change in the plan for the team, and employees of an
plan.

organization that affects the

3. Use of new technology that affects the work environment.
4. Introduction of new banking services or abandon of other services.
5. Opening of new banking branches, closure or shifting of branches/offices.
6. Adoption of a new marketing policy.

Plans of business continuity management
Business continuity plans vary from one bank to another depending on the nature of
the business, the size, the geographical spread of its operations and the environment in
which it operates. But it is proposed to divide the business continuity management
plans to the three main components:

1. Business Continuity Plan for departments and branches It should contain
establishment of the business continuity team and choosing representatives of
relevant departments on the command center in charge of branches and departments

/>
30




Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery: Lessons From Palestine
business continuity. Contact details of the chosen team members should be clearly
written. Substitute for each member should also be identified. The critical functions,
how to restore them in case of disaster and the required staff to do so need to be
clearly identified. Required budget need to be arranged and the plan need to be tested
on regular basis.
2. Disaster recovery plan (DRP): this plan aims to restore all operations relevant to
information technology in a quick and efficient manner in case of risk and threat. It
includes going back to the normal conditions after overcoming the disaster situations.
This plan works consistently with the business continuity plan of the departments and
branches. This plan makes available to the business continuity plan the needed
physical needs required for the business continuity in the departments and branches.

3.

Crisis Management Plan: this plan comes to complete the previous two plans as the
first plan describes the necessary written procedures that need to be taken as to face
the expected risks and threats, whereas the second plan is aims to preserve the
information technology environment that the bank works within. And ultimately
preserve the bank's information that is considered to be critical for the bank maintain

operations, whereas the third is crisis management plan that accomplishes business
continuity plans as a whole and it depends on how to deal with the risk or threat when
it happens and the required procedures from all the staff and providers to seal with
those risk. The main reason to develop disaster recovery plan is to preserve lives and
health of the staff in addition to the aims meant to achieve through business
continuity plans.

4. Business continuity measure taken by the PMA:

Implementation of an effective business continuity management at the
PMA
He PMA being the regulator of the banking system has developed its own business
continuity plan and the (AS) to ensure the continuity of its operations in case of
disasters and crisis. PMA has taken several steps to put in place an effective and
efficient business continuity plan for its own operations. Those steps are listed below:
1. Develop Strategies and business continuity policies within the PMA.
2. Surveyed all the PMA departments aiming to defining critical operations within the
PMA.
3. Defined the PMA's necessary staff that is needed to perform all the defined critical
operations.
4. Made ready the business continuity plan.
5. Made ready the needed logistics.
6. Trained and qualified the staff assigned to follow up the implementation.
7.

Information technology.

8. Premises and (AS).
9. Conducting periodical tests to ensure viability.
10. Review the procedures and steps in light of recent developments in this field issued

by the regulatory bodies' i.e Basel Committee.

/>
31




Riyad Mustafa Mohammad Abu Shehadeh

The PMA processes adopted for the implementation of an effective
program for business continuity management at banks:
PMA has taken many steps to build up and enhance its' capabilities in the field.
Following are the most important steps taken by the PMA:
1. Training and qualifying of the staff assigned to follow up the implementation of
business continuity management program.
2. Developing the business continuity and information technology supervision unit
within the Supervision and Inspection Department (SID) that follows up the banks'
commitment to implement an integrated program for the business continuity
management and audit of information technology in the banks.
3. Issuing instructions to the banking sector to prepare a comprehensive business
continuity programs and preparation of the (AS's).
4. Development of several pre requisites that should be available in the banking
premises prior to granting the necessary licenses to start the banking business. The
most important criteria was the presence of emergency exits and first aid equipment,
doors, windows, safes, and manual and automatic fire extinguishing equipment, and
providing multiple sources of energy licenses (alternative electricity generator and a
central UPS), as well as providing a stockpile of fuel, which is enough for a month.
5. Centralization of the banking operations: executing the large banking operations
centrally, rather than through branches have many advantages .i.e. providing the

adequate supervision and the alternative procedures from other sites to implement in
the emergency situations.
6. Alternative sites: in addition to centralization of the banking operations, the PMA has
required the banks to provide alternative working sites located at least 50 kilometers
from the main head office so as to run the main operations through the (AS) when
necessary. The (AS’s) have been tested to guarantee its smooth functioning at
emergency and crisis time.
7. Disaster Recovery Sites (DRS): running operations through the DRS makes it easier
to control, fulfils better security requirements and provides public safety.
8. The formation of liaison groups (PMA & banks) to follow up and better manage any
crisis on timely basis.
9. Rationing banks working hours to ensure the continuity of financial services during
the crisis.
10. Intervene in the arrangements of transporting banks employees in Gaza in
ambulances during and after the war and during the truce.
11. Facilitating availability of hundreds of thousands of liters of the needed fuel through
coordination with fuel stations to keep Gaza banks operational.
12. Green energy: the PMA encouraged the banking system to utilize the green energy to
help overcome shortage of electricity.
13. Efficiently managed the available liquidity with the Gaza banks to avoid liquidity
crisis.
14. Helped and facilitated cash shipments amongst banks to feed ATM’s with needed
cash during the war.
15. PMA managed efficient and effective communication methods including the use of
timely mobile messaging system.

/>
32

Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery: Lessons From Palestine

PROBLEM STATEMENT
How to enhance banks' ability to continue providing banking services during crisis?

Hypothesis
H1: The PMA's regulation in the field of disaster recovery & business continuity
enhanced banks' ability to continue banking services during war time in 2014?

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Taking into consideration the importance of the issue, the researcher adopted
sampling population aiming to arrive at accurate results. The researcher has used the
questionnaire tool to collect the needed data and he used Likert scale to measure the
variable (banks' ability to continue banking services during war time in 2014).

A: Target populations and Sample Size
Our target population will be Gaza based banks that operated and provided services to
the customers in Gaza during war time of 2014. The same will be our sample size.

B: Source for the data
To collect primary data questionnaire will be distributed to all banks that operated in
Gaza during 2014. The PMA reports 2012-2014 relevant to the banking system in
Gaza will be used.

DATA ANALYSIS
By using SPSS model the results were as follows:

Banks' ability to continue banking services during crisis time

47.5%

31.3%

12.4%
8.4%

0.4%
strongly don’t agree

don’t agree

/>
abstain

33

agree

strongly agree




Riyad Mustafa Mohammad Abu Shehadeh

Banks' ability to continue banking services during war time 2014
strongly
don’t
don’t

abstain agree
agree
agree
Banking services provided by branches are
acceptable during crisis time.
Banking Hours are sufficient during crisis
time.
Types of banking services are sufficient during
crisis time.
Non continuity of banking services during
crisis time did not affect customers' needs.
ATM's are distributed in a way that meets
customers' needs.
ATM's are operational continuously.
ATM's make available continuously all
currencies.
Cash withdrawals are made per the need.
Banking services are easily provided during
crisis time.
Needed time to get banking services during
crisis is sufficient.
All banking services are provided during
crisis.
Sufficient staff were present in the banking
during crisis time
There was efficient communication with all
branches during crisis time.
PMA's regulation in the field of disaster
recovery & business continuity enhanced
banks' ability to continue banking services

during war time in 2014

strongly
agree

Mean

Std.
Deviation

.0%

.0%

2.4% 58.5%

39.0%

4.37

.536

.0%

4.9% 12.2% 48.8%

34.1%

4.12

.812

.0%

2.4%

9.8% 61.0%

26.8%

4.12

.678

2.4%

39.0% 19.5% 29.3%

9.8%

3.05

1.094

.0%

7.3% 19.5% 43.9%

29.3%

3.95

.893

2.4%

7.3% 14.6% 31.7%

43.9%

4.07

1.058

.0%

.0%

7.3% 46.3%

46.3%

4.39

.628

.0%

2.4% 17.1% 58.5%

22.0%

4.00

.707

.0%

22.0% 9.8% 53.7%

14.6%

3.61

.997

.0%

7.3% 22.0% 41.5%

29.3%

3.93

.905

.0%

14.6% 19.5% 36.6%

29.3%

3.80

1.030

.0%

.0%

4.9% 53.7%

41.5%

4.37

.581

.0%

2.4%

2.4% 53.7%

41.5%

4.34

.656

8.4% 12.4% 47.5%

31.3%

0.4%

4.009381 .5203535

RESULTS
1. According to our analysis as shown in the annexure no. 2 the hypothesis (The PMA's
regulation in the field of disaster recovery & business continuity enhanced banks'
ability to continue banking services during war time in 2014) is accepted.

2. There is a huge positive impact for the regulation on the ability of banks to continue
the banking services during crisis as we obtained 78% of the results as strongly agree
and agree.

RECOMMENDATIONS
We recommend the following:
1. Continue application and development of the regulations online with best practices
since it has a positive impact on the banking system services during a crisis.
2. Continue regular meetings of the crisis management liaison group the PMA
established with the banking system.
3. Adoption of the Palestinian model of crisis management in the countries facing same
circumstance.

/>
34

Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery: Lessons From Palestine

REFERENCES
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]

www.bis.org
www.fsb.org
www.imf.org
www.worldbank.org
www.pma.ps
M.Rajeswari. A Study on Credit Risk Management in Scheduled Banks.
International Journal of Management, 5(12), 2014, pp. 79-89.
Dr. Shivakumar deene, An Empirical Examination of Liquidity Risk
Management with Special Reference To Vijaya Bank. International Journal of
Management, 6(11), 2015, pp. 01-18.

NOTES
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]

High-level Principles for Business Continuity, 2006. A paper published on
BIS.org
PMA was established as the regulatory authority in Palestine after the peace
process in the early 90's and took charge from Bank of Israel in 1995.
Source: PMA reports.
PMA, the Banking Anchor issue no. 88, December 2015.
Source: www.pma.ps

/>
35




Riyad Mustafa Mohammad Abu Shehadeh

ANNEXURE 1
Questionnaire
Greetings
This questionnaire is developed as a part of a research titled (Disaster recovery &
Business Continuity: Lessons from Palestine).
You are kindly requested to complete the questionnaire using () in front of the
choices ahead of each statement. The analysis will be solely used for the research
purposes only.

Thanking you
Availability of banking services during crisis (2014 aggression)
No.

1
2
3
4

5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Statement

Strongly
agree

Agree

Abstain

Don't
Agree

Strongly
don't agree

Banking services provided by
branches are acceptable
during crisis time.
Banking hours are sufficient
during crisis time
Types of banking services are
sufficient during crisis time.
Non continuity of banking
services during crisis time did
not affect customers' needs
ATM's are distributed in a
way that meets customers'
needs.
ATM's are operational
continuously
ATM's, make available
continuously all currencies
Cash withdrawals are made
per the need
Banking services are easily
provided during crisis time
Needed time to get banking
services during crisis is
sufficient
All banking services are
provided during the crisis
Sufficient staff were present
in the bank during crisis time.
There was an efficient
communication with all

branches during crisis time

/>
36




Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery: Lessons From Palestine

ANNEXURE 2
Banking services provided by branches are acceptable during crisis
time.
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Percent
Valid Abstain
1
2.4
2.4
2.4
Agree
24
58.5
58.5
61.0
Strongly
16
39.0
39.0

100.0
agree
Total
41
100.0
100.0
Banking Hours are sufficient during crisis time.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Valid

Don’t
agree
Abstain
Agree
Strongly
agree
Total

Cumulative
Percent

2

4.9

4.9

4.9

5

20
14

12.2
48.8
34.1

12.2
48.8
34.1

17.1
65.9
100.0

41

100.0

100.0

Types of banking services are sufficient during crisis time.
Cumulative
Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Percent
Valid Don’t
1
2.4
2.4
2.4

agree
Abstain
4
9.8
9.8
12.2
Agree
25
61.0
61.0
73.2
Strongly
11
26.8
26.8
100.0
agree
Total
41
100.0
100.0
Non continuity of banking services during crisis time did not affect
customers' needs.
Valid
Cumulative
Frequency Percent
Percent
Percent
Valid Strongly
1

2.4
2.4
2.4
don't agree
Don’t agree
16
39.0
39.0
41.5
Abstain
8
19.5
19.5
61.0
Agree
12
29.3
29.3
90.2
Strongly
4
9.8
9.8
100.0
agree
Total
41
100.0
100.0

/>
37




Riyad Mustafa Mohammad Abu Shehadeh

ATM's are distributed in a way that meets customers' needs.
Frequency Percent
Valid

Valid
Percent

Cumulative
Percent

Don’t agree 3

7.3

7.3

7.3

Abstain

8

19.5

19.5

26.8

Agree

18

43.9

43.9

70.7

Strongly
agree

12

29.3

29.3

100.0

Total

41

100.0

100.0

ATM's are operational continuously.
Frequency Percent
Valid

Valid
Percent

Cumulative
Percent

Strongly
don't agree

1

2.4

2.4

2.4

Don’t agree

3

7.3

7.3

9.8

Abstain

6

14.6

14.6

24.4

Agree

13

31.7

31.7

56.1

Strongly
agree

18

43.9

43.9

100.0

Total

41

100.0

100.0

ATM's, make available continuously all currencies.
Frequency Percent
Valid

Valid
Percent

Cumulative
Percent

Abstain

3

7.3

7.3

7.3

Agree

19

46.3

46.3

53.7

Strongly
agree

19

46.3

46.3

100.0

Total

41

100.0

100.0

Cash withdrawals are made per the need.
Frequency Percent
Valid

Valid
Percent

Cumulative
Percent

Don’t
agree

1

2.4

2.4

2.4

Abstain

7

17.1

17.1

19.5

Agree

24

58.5

58.5

78.0

Strongly
agree

9

22.0

22.0

100.0

Total

41

100.0

100.0

/>
38




Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery: Lessons From Palestine

Banking services are easily provided during crisis time.
Frequency Percent
Valid

Valid
Percent

Cumulative Percent

Don’t
agree

9

22.0

22.0

22.0

Abstain

4

9.8

9.8

31.7

Agree

22

53.7

53.7

85.4

Strongly
agree

6

14.6

14.6

100.0

Total

41

100.0

100.0

Needed time to get banking services during crisis is sufficient.
Frequency Percent
Valid

Valid
Percent

Cumulative
Percent

Don’t
agree

3

7.3

7.3

7.3

Abstain

9

22.0

22.0

29.3

Agree

17

41.5

41.5

70.7

Strongly
agree

12

29.3

29.3

100.0

Total

41

100.0

100.0

All banking services are provided during crisis.
Frequency Percent
Valid

Valid
Percent

Cumulative
Percent

Don’t
agree

6

14.6

14.6

14.6

Abstain

8

19.5

19.5

34.1

Agree

15

36.6

36.6

70.7

Strongly
agree

12

29.3

29.3

100.0

Total

41

100.0

100.0

Sufficient staff were present in the banking during crisis time
Frequency Percent
Valid

Valid
Percent

Cumulative
Percent

Abstain

2

4.9

4.9

4.9

Agree

22

53.7

53.7

58.5

Strongly
agree

17

41.5

41.5

100.0

Total

41

100.0

100.0

/>
39




Riyad Mustafa Mohammad Abu Shehadeh

There was an efficient communication with all branches during crisis
time.
Frequency Percent
Valid

Valid
Percent

Cumulative
Percent

Don’t
agree

1

2.4

2.4

2.4

Abstain

1

2.4

2.4

4.9

Agree

22

53.7

53.7

58.5

Strongly
agree

17

41.5

41.5

100.0

Total

41

100.0

100.0

strongly
don’t
agree
Banking services provided by branches are acceptable during
crisis time.
Banking Hours are sufficient during crisis time.
Types of banking services are sufficient during crisis time.
Non continuity of banking services during crisis time did not
affect customers' needs.
ATM's are distributed in a way that meets customers' needs.
ATM's are operational continuously.
ATM's make available continuously all currencies.
Cash withdrawals are made per the need.
Banking services are easily provided during crisis time.
Needed time to get banking services during crisis is sufficient.
All banking services are provided during crisis.
Sufficient staff were present in the banking during crisis time
There was efficient communication with all branches during
crisis time.
PMA's regulation in the field of disaster recovery &
business continuity enhanced banks' ability to continue

banking services during war time in 2014

/>
don’t
abstain agree
agree

strongly
agree

Mean

Std.
Deviation

.0%

.0%

2.4%

58.5%

39.0%

4.37

.536

.0%

.0%

4.9%
2.4%

12.2%
9.8%

48.8%
61.0%

34.1%
26.8%

4.12
4.12

.812
.678

2.4%

39.0%

19.5%

29.3%

9.8%

3.05

1.094

.0%
2.4%
.0%
.0%
.0%
.0%
.0%
.0%

7.3%
7.3%
.0%
2.4%
22.0%
7.3%
14.6%
.0%

19.5%
14.6%
7.3%
17.1%
9.8%
22.0%
19.5%
4.9%

43.9%
31.7%
46.3%
58.5%
53.7%
41.5%
36.6%
53.7%

29.3%
43.9%
46.3%
22.0%
14.6%
29.3%
29.3%
41.5%

3.95
4.07
4.39
4.00
3.61
3.93
3.80
4.37

.893
1.058

.628
.707
.997
.905
1.030
.581

.0%

2.4%

2.4%

53.7%

41.5%

4.34

.656

0.4%

8.4%

12.4% 47.5%

31.3%

4.009381

.5203535

40




Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery: Lessons From Palestine

PMA's regulation in the field of disaster recovery & business
continuity enhanced banks' ability to continue banking
services during war time in 2014
47.5%
31.3%

8.4%

12.4%

0.4%
strongly don’t don’t agree
agree

abstain

agree

strongly agree

H1: The PMA's regulation in the field of disaster recovery & business
continuity enhanced banks' ability to continue banking services during
war time in 2014?
According to the data shown in the figure above we can accept the study hypothesis,
which says that PMA's regulation in the field of disaster recovery & business
continuity enhanced banks' ability to continue banking services during war time in
2014 with value of Mean reached 4.00, the percentage in agree and strongly agree
together above 78%.

/>
41