The competing pressures paradigm: A tool for improving emergency and continuity planning efficacy?

This paper introduces the competing pressures paradigm (CPP) - a conceptual model to improve the emergency and continuity planning process through enhanced organisational and societal pressure management. The CPP is a theory, a learning tool and a planner's aide-memoire. It is designed to encourage critical reflection and proactive strategising to address five competing pressures in order to engender greater planning efficacy. Whereas planners typically focus on three core pressures - legislative compliance, organisational alignment (internal and external) and managerial preference - the CPP also focuses on two covert pressures, namely, usability and the needs of humanity and society. Accordingly, this paper explores all five of these constituent pressures to present a learning tool with both theoretical and practical applications for emergency and continuity management.