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Civil unrest in HK = business continuity issues?

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  1. #1

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    Civil unrest in HK = business continuity issues?

    Given the Sunday decision, and the possibility of Occupy Central and the possibility of a retaliation against it by China ...
    what do folks think are the business continuity risks in HK? I'm wondering, for example, if our firm should have a contingency plan.

    Yes, I realise the probability is remote, but we have typhoon plans and IT disruption plans... so a civil unrest plan seems appropriate. I doubt the folks in the Ukraine thought Russia would invade either.....

    I was thinking the following might be relevant to ponder:

    * consider ability of staff to get to the office and ability to work from home if unable to come in (mitigated by home working already)
    * could China impose the Great Firewall on Hong Kong? If yes, how would that affect business (dropbox, google, email?)
    * could there be any inability to leave HK? If yes - would different nationalities be affected differently? Should we have different plans for different staff?
    * any likelihood of banking restrictions or currency movement restrictions? If yes, what is the best way to mitigate?

    But more importantly - what am I missing in this list?


  2. #2

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    Quick question, are you going to ban your workers from taking part in the proposed civil unrest? I'm talking about them doing it on their own time though.

    HK_Katherine likes this.

  3. #3

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    I work in a large MNC and there is definitely a BCP plan in place for this. Haven't been too involved so cant help with any of the details you're thinking of. I don't think there'd be much worry for leaving HK, though the other items might be of more worry... I think mostly its your first one, not sure how swift moving any of the other impacts would be.

    HK_Katherine likes this.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by pin:
    Quick question, are you going to ban your workers from taking part in the proposed civil unrest? I'm talking about them doing it on their own time though.
    I hadn't even thought of that. It's not the kind of thing we would generally do, so probably not. But worth adding to my list.

  5. #5

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    * could China impose the Great Firewall on Hong Kong? If yes, how would that affect business (dropbox, google, email?)
    * could there be any inability to leave HK? If yes - would different nationalities be affected differently? Should we have different plans for different staff?
    * any likelihood of banking restrictions or currency movement restrictions? If yes, what is the best way to mitigate?
    These are valid concerns, but need to be handled pragmatically.

    My view is, if any of these are going to happen, we will have FAR larger problems than dealing with continuing business. At this point, I'd assume that any established laws would have been suspended.

    Might as well fold up and move to Singapore.
    Skyhook, bookblogger and kimwy66 like this.

  6. #6

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    Folding up and moving to Singapore might well BE our plan....

    shri likes this.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by HK_Katherine:
    Folding up and moving to Singapore might well BE our plan....
    Ah Singapore, that bastion of democracy....
    carang and alph like this.

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    Quote Originally Posted by pin:
    Ah Singapore, that bastion of democracy....
    If HK becomes difficult to do business in, our company will leave. We have no reason at all to be based in HK, it's historical - we don't have consumers for example so don't need to be located near them. I can't believe we would be alone. What professional services firm would stay in a place if they could not operate? I hope the powers that be have factored this into their decision - because I'm sure the bankers and lawyers etc would be queuing up to leave if HK became unsafe!
    100LL likes this.

  9. #9

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    >> What professional services firm would stay in a place if they could not operate?

    Specifically in Hong Kong, you'd have to qualify those companies as not relying on China as their main / primary source of income. This would mean that most bankers, lawyers, accountants would have to stay....



  10. #10

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    I would have thought the most important for HK_Katherine' staff would be to ensure Starbuck is still up and running.

    If Starbucks works, your Business works.

    Last edited by Mat; 01-09-2014 at 02:43 PM.

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