Strategies in Times of Pandemic Crisis-Retailers and Regional Resilience in Wurzburg, Germany

Research on the COVID-19 crisis and its implications on regional resilience is still in its infancy. To understand resilience on its aggregate level it is important to identify (non)resilient actions of individual actors who comprise regions. As the retail sector among others represents an important factor in an urban regions recovery, we focus on the resilience of (textile) retailers within the city of Wurzburg in Germany to the COVID-19 pandemic. To address the identified research gap, this paper applies the concept of resilience. Firstly, conducting expert interviews, the individual (textile) retailers' level and their strategies in coping with the crisis is considered. Secondly, conducting a contextual analysis of the German city of Wurzburg, we wish to contribute to the discussion of how the resilience of a region is influenced inter alia by actors. Our study finds three main strategies on the individual level, with retailers: (1) intending to bounce back to a pre-crisis state, (2) reorganising existing practices, as well as (3) closing stores and winding up business. As at the time of research, no conclusions regarding long-term impacts and resilience are possible, the results are limited. Nevertheless, detailed analysis of retailers' strategies contributes to a better understanding of regional resilience.

Automated summary

Research on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and its implications on regional resilience is still at an early stage. This study focuses on the resilience of (textile) retailers in the city of Wurzburg, Germany, highlighting three main strategies taken by individual retailers to cope with the crisis. Further research is needed to draw conclusions on the long-term impacts and resilience.