Disaster as a window of opportunity to solve the problems of big merchants and retailers: The case of New Tarqui, Ecuador

This research paper examines the results of a post-disaster merchants’ relocation program. The paper relies on the context of the destruction of Tarqui, a commercial neighborhood located in Manta, Ecuador, after the 7,8-degree earthquake in 2016. The research uses a qualitative interview analysis of merchants and state authorities involved. The paper finds that overall, the earthquake functioned to create the conditions to open a window of opportunity to solve the previously existing problems of the merchants and the state. It had highly positive results for the municipality, as they accomplished to organize the commercial activity of the city, and also for the big merchants, as they managed to improve the profits of their businesses. On the contrary, the research finds some evidence about how the program had unfavorable outcomes for the retailers, as their businesses lower their earnings.