Quantitative Vulnerability Assessment for Economic Systems

In 2004 tsunami waves caused huge economic losses along the coastline of Southern Thailand. These resulted from direct damages and the following economic downturn. This study investigates the factors that led to this vulnerable situation. One of the greatest challenges in vulnerability research is the quantification. To answer this question, a wide database has been used, encompassing highly accurate remote sensing data, quantitative surveys and qualitative focus group discussion data. These data have been integrated in a structural equation model to reproduce factors and relations leading to the hazard induced effects and the capabilities to cope with. The model showed that the impact was almost completely compensated for by households' and companies' internal and external resilience capabilities.

Autorentext
Philipp Willroth, born 1980 in Kiel (Germany); Studies of Economic Geography, Business and Law at the University of Kiel; from 2007 PhD-Student and Research Associate at the Institute of Economic and Cultural Geography at the University of Hannover.

Inhalt
Contents: Theories of Vulnerability research Vulnerability of economic systems Effects of the Tsunami 2004 on the economic system Causal factors for vulnerability on micro-level Interrelations among causal factors determining vulnerability Assessment of post-tsunami vulnerability situation.