Factors affecting post-disaster location choices of businesses: an analysis of the 1999 earthquake

Despite global policies advocating risk reduction and community level recovery, post-disaster implementations usually focus on households, but fail to focus on businesses in spatial terms. Due to the lack of appropriate policy and tools, businesses often make their own location choices as part of their recovery strategy. In view of this, this study aims to establish the factors affecting the location choices of businesses challenged by disasters in the absence of any specific spatial strategies designed for them. In order to determine these factors, empirical research was conducted in Adapazari, Turkey on 232 firms selected as a result of a stratified random sampling procedure. According to the analysis of the results, the most notable impacts on business location choices after a disaster shock are associated with occupancy status, education level, and extent of damage. In line with these findings, the impacts of business location choices are discussed to highlight the role of businesses in spatial decisions.