Globalization and retail development in the post-disaster context: A comparison of two Philippine communities

Abstract

This paper examines how natural disasters and the conditions they precipitate can encourage manifestations of globalization on the local level. The transnational phenomenon this paper is concerned with is retail trade concentration which, among other things, involves the spread of large retail facilities outside of downtown business districts. The end result of this process is often a devitalized urban core. The study compares the recent historical experience of two provincial urban communities in the Philippines: Dagupan City and San Fernando City. Downtown Dagupan endured considerable damage from a major earthquake in 1990, while the city center of San Fernando was only minimally impacted by the disaster. Paying particular attention to the various political, social, and economic dynamics underlying post-earthquake developments in both Dagupan and San Fernando, this work suggests that, although natural catastrophes may lead to a revitalization of downtown life, they may ultimately subject affected urban centers to a significant hollowing out in the post-disaster context as a result of increased trade concentration.

Citation

Matejowsky, T.S. (2002), "Globalization and retail development in the post-disaster context: A comparison of two Philippine communities", Research in Economic Anthropology (Research in Economic Anthropology, Vol. 21), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 311-341. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0190-1281(02)21012-4