Business Impact Governance Framework (BIGF) | v2.1: Specification Addendum: Appendix F (Hardened Meta-Governance Layer)

Document Identifier: BIGF-SPEC-v2.1-APP-F | Version: 2.1 (October 2026) Classification: Open Science / Specification Standard EXECUTIVE THESIS: The framework fails closed in authority, not arbitrarily high in impact. POSITIONING: BIGF v2.1 hardens the Business Impact Governance Framework against edge-case failures, telemetry outages, contradictory directives, and unauthorized automation drift. EXECUTIVE ABSTRACT: BIGF v2.1 defines the meta-governance and deterministic boundary layer for the Business Impact Governance Framework. While BIGF v2.0 standardized the translation of business criticality into automated operational decision-making (P = B + S + T), version 2.1 hardens the framework against edge-case failures, telemetry outages, contradictory directives, and unauthorized automation drift. Under conditions of epistemic uncertainty, telemetry failure, or systemic data conflict, the governance engine suspends autonomous mutation privileges and preserves human executive accountability, preventing synthetic blackouts and uncontrolled cascade failures. KEY MECHANISMS IN APPENDIX F: • F.1 Bounded Conflict Resolution Hierarchy: Five-stage deterministic sequence from statutory mandate (DORA/NIS2) to executive halt (DORA Art. 5). • F.2 Uncertainty & Telemetry Loss: Unverified Critical State (UCS) protocol and actuation lockout. • F.3 Baseline Invalidation & Contested State: 14-day evidentiary window, Governance-Held status, and strict prohibition of silent downgrades. • F.4 Break-Glass Override Protocol: 24-hour time-boxed emergency bypass strictly bound to statutory management officers. • F.5 Multi-Dimensional Decision Model: Non-additive Finite State Machine (P: B x S x T ->P). • F.6 Decision Replay & Cryptographic Reconstruction: Canonical Decision Record schema, Ed25519 signatures, and RFC 3161 auditability for regulatory discovery. Target Audience: Enterprise Architects, CISOs, CIOs, Regulators (DORA/NIS2), AI Governance & Safety Officers.