Urban spatial structuring following disasters: empirical findings from location choices of businesses in Adapazari, Turkey

Abstract

This study argues that ignorance of businesses in disaster management systems from the point of spatial policies leads to deviations from initial recovery goals aiming to create a safer urban environment. Therefore, the paper examines the location choices of businesses in a disaster-stricken case from Turkey through an empirical research conducted after the 1999 Earthquake. In doing so, data were gathered from 232 firms in Adapazari city via a questionnaire to inquire about their location choices before and after the disaster and the reasons behind their strategy. Findings suggest that recovery goals at community level cannot be achieved without referring to the spatial decisions of businesses in hazard-prone areas. With regard to the findings of the study, policy recommendations are developed to guide post-disaster practises from a space-sensitive perspective by focusing on businesses.