{"title":"The interplay between enterprise and entrepreneur in the flood risk management of small- and medium-sized enterprises in Austria","authors":"C. Winkler, T. Thaler, S. Seebauer","doi":"10.1080/17477891.2021.2023454","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17477891.2021.2023454","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of most economies across the globe. They are particularly vulnerable to floods because they typically have less structural adaptation measures and less resources and financial access for recovery than large companies. In SMEs, economic and personal interests in risk governance intersect, such as when business crises after flood impacts spill over to personal crises of entrepreneurs. Applying a qualitative research method comprising policy document analysis, interviews and workshops with 11 flood-affected owner-entrepreneurs and 10 local and federal experts, this article analyses SMEs in the manufacturing sector in Austria. SME vulnerability and coping capacity emerge from the close interaction of (1) the governance framework, foremost the public disaster compensation scheme; (2) enterprise-oriented factors, e.g. availability of capital, customer loyalty, labour force flexibility; and (3) entrepreneur-oriented factors, e.g. psychological resilience, social networks, political efficacy. Flood impacts may increase bankruptcy risk when coinciding with economic and personal challenges. SMEs merit special consideration in disaster risk management, therein accounting for the interplay of enterprise- and entrepreneur-oriented factors. Flood risk managers could introduce mentoring by flood-experienced entrepreneurial peers, consolidate informal local business and political networks, train risk competences of entrepreneurs and promote private insurance.","PeriodicalId":47335,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Hazards-Human and Policy Dimensions","volume":"49 1","pages":"400 - 415"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88076795","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Preventing social isolation: Otsuchi town after the Great East Japan Earthquake","authors":"Ryoichi Nitanai, Jun Goto","doi":"10.1080/17477891.2021.2023453","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17477891.2021.2023453","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT On 11th March 2011, Japan was struck by an earthquake of tremendous force, the Great East Japan Earthquake. A social issue that emerged during the early stage of reconstruction after the disaster was social isolation. This study aims to explore a process by which community action of the affected people can be promoted to prevent them from experiencing social isolation. The process was applied in the temporary housing estates built in Otsuchi town, Iwate Prefecture, after the great tsunami. In this case study, we analysed the processes of local government restructuring and community development as well as intervention effects developed by us in this process. Consequently, the barriers to the development of community actions for preventing isolation were identified: inefficiency in the local management system; a lack of cohesion in stakeholder perceptions; and disconnectedness between the system and interventions. These findings have implications for reconstruction planning, which include (1) a reconstruction strategy that defines the goal and shares a prevention policy, while addressing the treatment needs of the rapidly emerging of stakeholders and communication training for the staff supporting the affected people and (2) the community interventions that build consideration of community readiness and linkage to the local system.","PeriodicalId":47335,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Hazards-Human and Policy Dimensions","volume":"4 1","pages":"379 - 399"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88762212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Interpreting and responding to wildfire smoke in western Canada","authors":"T. McGee, Devon Healey","doi":"10.1080/17477891.2021.2020083","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17477891.2021.2020083","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This paper presents findings from an online survey that explored public experiences of wildfire smoke, public health advisory information, risk perceptions, and protective actions in response to wildfire smoke in western Canada. Most respondents had wildfire smoke experiences lasting several days with decreased visibility, and many had difficulty breathing and changes to their health. While a majority of respondents were aware of the Air Quality Health Index and how to respond on a high risk day, some did not. Most respondents perceived the risk from wildfire smoke during their most recent experience to be extreme, severe, or moderate, with only 20% perceiving low risk from wildfire smoke. Wildfire smoke experiences affected risk perceptions, and female respondents perceived the risk from wildfire smoke to be higher in comparison to male respondents. Most respondents took protective actions during their most recent exposure to wildfire smoke, with the most popular measures including keeping windows and doors shut, and limiting time spent outdoors. Perceptions of wildfire smoke risks, experiencing health impacts from wildfire smoke, sex and highest level of education, and firefighting experience influenced protective actions. Recommendations to improve public health during wildfire smoke events and future research are included.","PeriodicalId":47335,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Hazards-Human and Policy Dimensions","volume":"41 1","pages":"361 - 377"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2021-12-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91385790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Spatiotemporal changes of manufacturing firms in the flood prone Yangtze Delta","authors":"Sisi Jiao, Weijiang Li, J. Wen","doi":"10.1080/17477891.2021.1988502","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17477891.2021.1988502","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Manufacturing firms in flood prone areas (FPAs) are a vital component of flood exposure, driving the non-stationarity of flood risks. This paper explores the spatiotemporal patterns of manufacturing firms in the FPAs of Yangtze Delta in China during 1998-2013. It is found that the number of firms in the FPAs increases remarkably by 44,385, with an annual growth rate of 10.2%. Established firms are located much closer to water bodies, mainly agglomerating along the coasts, the Yangtze River, and around the Taihu Lake. Several vulnerable sectors, including chemical feedstock and chemical manufacturing, computer and communication equipment, maintain a high growth and share in the FPAs. The small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with less flood coping capabilities increase rapidly. The main drivers of firm expansion in the FPAs include policy promotion, agglomeration benefit and levee effect. Exposed firms show a high spatial co-locality with industrial parks and an upward trend similar to the length of levees, suggesting that government policies and flood defense strategies encourage flood exposure. The increase in exposed firms is positively correlated with the rise of flood losses in industrial sectors. Besides defense strategies, more attention should be paid to enhancing flood resilience at regional and firm levels.","PeriodicalId":47335,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Hazards-Human and Policy Dimensions","volume":"449 1","pages":"334 - 360"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77750413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Ziegler, R. Wasson, Y. Sundriyal, P. Srivastava, G. Sasges, S. Ramchunder, C. Ong, S. Nepal, B. McAdoo, J. Gillen, D. Bishwokarma, A. Bhardwaj, Michal Apollo
{"title":"A call for reducing tourism risk to environmental hazards in the Himalaya","authors":"A. Ziegler, R. Wasson, Y. Sundriyal, P. Srivastava, G. Sasges, S. Ramchunder, C. Ong, S. Nepal, B. McAdoo, J. Gillen, D. Bishwokarma, A. Bhardwaj, Michal Apollo","doi":"10.1080/17477891.2021.1984196","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17477891.2021.1984196","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT As mountain tourism rapidly expands in remote landscapes, there is a critical need for improved disaster risk management to ensure the safety of tourists and industry workers, safeguard infrastructure designed to support tourism and service industries (e.g., transportation), as well as protect the local economies that have come to depend on tourism revenue. Drawing from recent disasters in the Himalaya, we present evidence that the promotion of safe and sustainable tourism is out of sync with the proliferation of inbound tourists who are prone to many types of environmental hazards. The key driver of this situation is commercialisation. Other factors include increased mobilities/access of tourists who are often unaware of or ill-prepared to cope with hazards; lack of regulations with respect to overcrowding, safety and building codes increased exposure to climate change phenomena; and limited disaster response capabilities, including responsibility at the local level. In this perspective we argue that this particularly complex situation is best addressed through the lens of a dynamic system, whereby strong leadership, increased regulation of access and participation, and enhanced professionalism via training are key leverage points in countering uncontrolled commercialisation that drives increased risk to known hazards. The inclusion of tourism into disaster risk management systems is also needed where hazard risks and tourist traffic are high, as tourists are part of the transient population who are often unfamiliar with local conditions and ill-prepared to cope with extreme adversity.","PeriodicalId":47335,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Hazards-Human and Policy Dimensions","volume":"12 1","pages":"1 - 28"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88223813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Social learning-based disaster resilience: collective action in flash flood-prone Sunamganj communities in Bangladesh","authors":"M. Azad, C. E. Haque, Mahed-Ul-Islam Choudhury","doi":"10.1080/17477891.2021.1976096","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17477891.2021.1976096","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Despite widespread recognition that social learning can potentially contribute toward enhancing community resilience to climate-induced disaster shocks, studies on this process remain few and far between. This study investigates the role of local institutions (formal, informal, and quasi-formal) in creating learning arenas and translating social learning into collective action in flash flood-prone Sunamganj communities in Bangladesh. We follow a Case Study approach using qualitative research methods. Primary data were collected through 24 key informant interviews, 10 semi-structured interviews, six focus-group discussions, and two participant observations events. Our results reveal that the diversity and flexibility of local-level institutions creates multiple learning platforms in which social interaction, problem formulation, nurturing diverse perspectives, and generating innovative knowledge for collective action can take place. Within these formal and informal learning arenas, communities’ desire and willingness to be self-reliant and to reduce their dependency on external funding and assistance is clearly evident. Social learning thus paves the way for institutional collaboration, partnership, and multi-stakeholder engagement, which facilitates social learning-based collective action. Nurturing institutional diversity and flexibility at the local level is therefore recommended for transforming social learning into active problem-solving measures and to enhance community resilience to disaster shocks.","PeriodicalId":47335,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Hazards-Human and Policy Dimensions","volume":"11 1","pages":"309 - 333"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89815306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Somayeh Mohammadi hamidi, H. Nazmfar, C. Fürst, Mohammadhossein Yazdani, Ahad Rezayan
{"title":"Water level decline at Iran's Lake Urmia: changing population dynamics","authors":"Somayeh Mohammadi hamidi, H. Nazmfar, C. Fürst, Mohammadhossein Yazdani, Ahad Rezayan","doi":"10.1080/17477891.2021.1949958","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17477891.2021.1949958","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This paper examines the effects of decreasing the water level of Lake Urmia on migration and geographical distribution of the population in the eastern coastal settlements in Northwestern Iran. Initially, we considered the migration statistics from 2006 and 2016, compiled by the National Statistics Office. Then, by using kernel density estimation in ARC GIS, we examined the geographical distribution of the population. Findings of this study show that between 2006 and 2016, about 71.85% of the migrants in the province were from the villages around the lake, which caused the complete evacuation of 53 villages and a sharp decline in population in a number of other villages. While 28.42% of it was related to the other settlements in the province. Also, the results of the density estimation function show that, from 2006 to 2018, most of these villages lost their population, and most of the people are now inhabited in the suburbs of the central cities. It has led to an imbalance in the distribution of population, facilities, etc. The decline in the water level of the lake and the resulting fine dust has played an important role in reducing employment in the agricultural sector and, ultimately, led to reduced rural-urban migration. It seems that with the intensification of the consequences of climate change in Iran and the expansion of the water crisis in the country, the migration crisis around Lake Urmia, by generating socio-economic costs, will be a major challenge for development in this region.","PeriodicalId":47335,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Hazards-Human and Policy Dimensions","volume":"1 1","pages":"254 - 273"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2021-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81585075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Asnarulkhadi Abu Samah, Hayrol Azril Mohamed Shaffril, N. Ramli, J. D’Silva, Dzuhailmi Dahalan, N. Mohamed
{"title":"Readiness towards earthquake disasters among community in Peninsular Malaysia","authors":"Asnarulkhadi Abu Samah, Hayrol Azril Mohamed Shaffril, N. Ramli, J. D’Silva, Dzuhailmi Dahalan, N. Mohamed","doi":"10.1080/17477891.2021.1960472","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17477891.2021.1960472","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT\u0000 Despite the attention given to the devastating earthquake incident that occurred in Sabah in the year 2015, it is noteworthy to highlight that Peninsular Malaysia had experienced 40 minor earthquakes between 2007 and 2009. This scenario portrays the potential of this region being hit by a bigger magnitude of earthquake and it is unclear if the local community is prepared to face this disaster. Notably, readiness towards earthquake can be viewed from several perspectives. Having that said, this study determined the impact of demographic factors on community readiness towards earthquake disasters. Quantitative data retrieved via a questionnaire were gathered from 400 respondents elected using two-stage cluster sampling. The three areas involved were Bentong (Pahang), Manjung (Perak), and Kenyir (Terengganu). The outcomes revealed that the community in Peninsular Malaysia was moderately ready to face earthquake impacts, while further analyses exemplified that several demographic variables, including type of residence, level of education, number of household members, and period of residence in the areas, emerged as the determinant factors for community readiness towards earthquake disasters. Accordingly, several implications are highlighted to enable policy-makers understand the effect of readiness towards earthquake upon community dwelling across Peninsular Malaysia.","PeriodicalId":47335,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Hazards-Human and Policy Dimensions","volume":"19 1","pages":"274 - 287"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2021-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87010897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dynamic economic resilience scenarios for measuring long-term community housing recovery","authors":"S. Zavareh, G. Winder","doi":"10.1080/17477891.2021.1962784","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17477891.2021.1962784","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The research measures post-disaster long-term housing recovery to assess community resilient recovery using the case of Broadmoor, a community located in New Orleans. Dynamic economic resilience scenarios calculate post-disaster housing recovery and differences of rebuilding using three housing recovery scenarios (baseline, reference recovery and dynamic economic resilience). The baseline scenario projects changes in housing market values without a disaster. The reference recovery scenario calculates post-disaster housing reconstruction values (e.g. repair rates and housing rebuilding permits), and a hypothetical housing recovery profile using damage assessments and building permits for rebuilding based on available investments (insurance and buy-outs). The dynamic economic resilience scenario models all potential and accelerated investments (uninsured versus insured, or buyouts for homeowners). A future dynamic economic resilience recovery scenario takes into account the benefits of housing reconstruction improvements, (e.g. levee and pump investments). The results identify an ideal sustainable long-term recovery threshold of three years after the disaster event. The results reveal the conceptualised dynamic economic resilience scenarios leads to shorter time-paths for recovery, and that the sustainable long-term recovery threshold is approximately three years after the disaster event.","PeriodicalId":47335,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Hazards-Human and Policy Dimensions","volume":"46 1","pages":"289 - 308"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2021-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72697349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cultural vulnerability, risk reduction and gender equity: two Mexican coastal communities","authors":"Cloe Mirenda, Elena Lazos Chavero","doi":"10.1080/17477891.2021.1945996","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17477891.2021.1945996","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to identify and analyse the cultural dimension of vulnerability from a gender perspective in two rural localities of the South Coast of Jalisco, Mexico. This region is exposed to hydro-meteorological hazards and it is expected that, as a result of climate change, its intensity will increase, causing greater disaster risks. We analyse three culturally determined factors that reproduce vulnerabilities differentiated by gender. First, the sexual division of labour, which although showing signs of change in terms of a greater entry of women into the labour market, remains unchanged in assigning unpaid work to the female gender. Inequities related to the sexual division of labour are reinforced during and after the disaster, increasing the vulnerabilities of women. Second, we analyse the differential distribution of power expressed in decision-making processes in the family. Third, we address the masculinization of political power both in terms of a lower presence of women in political participation at the community and municipal level, and in terms of the historically masculinized modalities in the exercise of power that women are adopting. Finally, we insist on the need to build a culture based on equity to consistently reduce vulnerability to disaster risks.","PeriodicalId":47335,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Hazards-Human and Policy Dimensions","volume":"39 1","pages":"235 - 253"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82827412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}