Written by renowned business author Lynda King Taylor working in conjunction with worldwide disaster recovery and business continuity management organisations, 'Managing meltdown and controlling chaos' will be the first book on this critical subject written to appeal to a broad business audience in addition to industry experts. 

It is planned for launch with its core theme on crisis leadership essential in defending and sustaining the brand against sudden shock.

Lynda King Taylor, the author, says "The demands are growing on public and private sector organisations to prove they have processes in place to maintain continuous impressive performance 365 days a year, regardless of unusual internal or external chaos or circumstances.  Nowhere was that  business resilience and critical incident recovery more demanded than in London in the aftermath of the terrorism attacks and atrocities in the summer of 2005"


"Such demands can be almost impossible to meet. But through understanding how organisations of different shapes and sizes tackle the difficult issues, we can learn how to build resilience into our businesses and how to make business continuity a core part of company culture and better manage meltdown.

"Business continuity and brand reputation management is about not making excuses. It’s about being wise before the event. It is a state of mind that understands great organisations never moan they didn’t do well because of the state of the economy, a fire at the warehouse, an internal fraud, a strike by a key group of workers or critical incident.  Great organisations do well anyway. Period.  The talent for 2005 and beyond is for any organisation to anticipate and better manage the meltdown and control the chaos before it commands change."

Managing Meltdown and Controlling Chaos contains fascinating real life case histories written in a novelesque style, the book is expected to become a bestseller. A television series, CD-Rom, audio book, and interactive web site are also planned.

David Dowse, Regional Manager, South East Europe
Mmd Corporate, Public Affairs & Public Relations Consultants, comments "The book that Lynda King Taylor is writing will be the first of its kind anywhere in the world to demonstrate just how those great organisations are going about it. Information of this kind is not easy to get, because companies guard their secrets carefully. 

"Our organisation worked with Lynda on her highly successful books in the UK's Sunday Times Business Skills series and we know Lynda is not your average author. She has a knack of persuading those in the know to part with what they know and her client credibility in this area is second-to-none. This is a book no one who cares about the survival of their business can afford to miss."

Each meticulously researched case history story board will focus on different types of organisational chaos from around the world - and highlight lessons to be learned. 

Subject matter includes loss of corporate and brand reputation whether intentional or otherwise. This includes loss of  organisational loyalty or market share when taking eyes of the customer and community relations ball, terrorism, sabotage, anarchy and terror, catastrophic explosions and crashes, product contamination, corporate manslaughter, IT disaster, telecoms and call centre collapses, fraud, organised crime, public sector fiascos, competition authorities, hostile takeovers, loss of intellectual property, severe weather, environmental eruption, eco-crime, kidnap, negative media coverage, share crash, industrial espionage, extortion and ethical negligence. In short, 'every bad thing on earth'.

'A thriller with no limits where even the impossible really does happen'

The author, Lynda King Taylor, whose previous books have included Not For Bread Alone, Corporate Excellence in the Year 2000, and two bestsellers in the Sunday Times Business Skills series, is working closely with major organisations in the field, who have agreed to provide exclusive access to material from their members world-wide. A series of international seminars and events based on the book is already in the pipeline.

Apart from being a cracking good read, the book will be one that all CEOs will demand their senior managers learn from. It will be a call to action among both corporate and public leaders on the need to focus on disaster mitigation and preparation, and crucially it will raise global awareness of business continuity planning and the many expert agencies available to help.

"Secondary impact has caused an unease and uncertainty that most people are feeling about the state of modern society and business."

The tragic events in New York and Washington in September 2001 brought home to countless companies and millions of managers the importance of planning for catastrophe and crises - including disasters that seem far-fetched. It is not just the very large companies that have been flooding the global business continuity experts with calls; smaller firms too have woken up to the fact that good business recovery planning might be the saving of their business.

Many of the grand global corporations now realise that even good disaster recovery plans are of little value if they are not tested, kept up to date, and built to respond to changing world conditions.

Although many companies caught in the American terrorist disasters had robust contingency plans and were able to recover quickly, some did not even have the basics in place, such as making sure that contact lists of staff and customers were kept up to date and duplicated off the premises. 

Others, including many financial companies, were running back-up systems that were not even inoculated against latest viruses. Secondary impact has caused an unease and uncertainty that most people are feeling about the state of modern society.

Business continuity management should be at the heart of every organisation's business strategy. It is the lifeline when disaster dawns.......

The time to act is yesterday.......

Not withstanding the global atrocities, many of the calamities and crises in the book have been more cataclysmic than needs be due to management incompetence, capitalist complacency, corporate carelessness, conceit and customer contempt. 

The case studies reveal the individual turbulence and trauma, revulsion and rivalries, arrogance and arse-licking, errors and emotions that can explode with corporate catastrophe & chaos, changing cultures and managing meltdown.

Lynda's book covers managing catastrophe and its secondary impact over a wide range of crises now facing anyone in management, not only the business continuity and disaster recovery professionals. This unique book will show that, whatever the disaster, the time to act is yesterday.

Organisations being honourable and honest.......

At the book's core is the personal drama that senior managers have to confront when they know deep down their organisation is not equipped to manage a calamitous catastrophe or control chaotic events - whether caused internally or externally, intentionally or accidentally - or simply the Boardroom taking their eye off the ball and losing sight of their customers, clients and communities, vision and values.  

Great credit must be given to those case studies considered in the book as they have been prepared to be honourable and honest about their failings and findings.  They have agreed to exchange their efforts and experiences in order to improve 'best practice' across the business continuity, critical incident management and disaster recovery professions - and beyond - to all those serving in global business of whatever nature as well as students of international management topics, tactics and trends.

It is the example of these case study organisations that makes "Managing Meltdown and Controlling Chaos" a must have read.

" This is a book no one who cares about the survival of their business can afford to miss."

Top UK business author Lynda King Taylor is working with international organisations on her next book.

Titled "Managing Meltdown  and Controlling Chaos" 
this unique book covers a wide range of 'best practice' case studies in the fields of  restoring brand reputation, 
disaster recovery & business continuity experience following critical incident - whether caused accidentally
or when the Boardroom simply took their eyes off the ball and lost possession.

A 'must have' read - not  just for the professionals, but for all those serving in global business as well as students of international management priorities, practice and process.

Photo courtesy CNN

"The book draws together leading global CEO's, politicians, experts & commentators to identify how we can better improve
the resilience of our businesses, economies and communities - and to retain brand reputation when an organisation does not
control chaos or sudden shock".

Photo courtesy BBC News - Bali

"business continuity management ................
that's our lifeline when disaster dawns"

A special chapter contains coverage on combating the dirty war on eco crime and environmental terrorism whether accidental or caused through organised criminal involvement. Special regard is given to the criminal threats to environmental security taking place cross-border in the newly enlarged European Union. Addressing one of the most challenging areas currently facing international security, this book will also contain the most dynamic and dramatic thinking on threats potentially affecting the well-being of citizens, customers and communities worldwide.There will also be material
on impending legislative arenas
such as economic sabotage and corporate
manslaughter.

"A book that discusses the crisis leadership that is vital for organisations defending and sustaining their brand against sudden shock."

Sponsorship opportunities exist for this new book, its case study content and related multi-media opportunities. Companies and organisations with legitimate expertise and interest in the field of critical incident and risk management, business continuity and disaster recovery will be considered for inclusion.

Interested parties should contact the author Lynda King Taylor.

lktlondon@aol.com
+44 [0]20 7262 1531

Lynda King Taylor can be contacted direct at below:

( Tel:  + 44 (0)20 7262 1531
2  Fax: + 44 (0)20 7706 1551
: E-mail:      
LKTLondon@aol.com

visit Lynda's website at www.lyndakingtaylor.com for more information on Lynda's work activities