Unpacking the critical role of firms in community resilience

Recent research has focused on a better understanding of the conditions under which private sector organizations contribute to community-level resilience in the aftermath of natural disasters. This chapter examines the interconnectedness between firm activity and community resilience to natural disasters. We draw together research on resilience, business continuity and philanthropy to articulate a framework that relates firm, governmental and non-governmental organization activity to both citizen- and community-level resilience. Our framework articulates a set of direct relationships between firms and community-level resilience but also highlight how firms often improve community-level resilience indirectly. In doing so we seek to build a foundation from which research could further unpack and examine these relationships.