While companies have emerged as very proactive donors in the wake of recent major disasters like Hurricane Katrina, it remains unclear whether that corporate generosity generates benefits to firms themselves. The literature on strategic philanthropy suggests that such philanthropic behavior may...

Emergency management professionals over the years have realized that preplanning and coordination is essential when mounting an effective reaction to a natural disaster. During Hurricane Katrina, professionals learned that preplanning and preparation must include a plan for responding to the...

In this paper, we investigate the rebuild or repair decision that property owners face after damages caused by catastrophic hurricanes such as Katrina in New Orleans. In particular, we consider how the degree of risk aversion and uncertainty affect the decision-making process. A theoretical...

Thesis advisors: Dr. Steven Cades, Dr. Catherine P. Mulder

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) offers preservationists a unique tool with the potential to revolutionize hazard mitigation for historic resources. The program’s ability to link information to a specific geographical location and efficiently disperse this information can solve two of...