Natural hazards compound COVID-19 impacts on small businesses disproportionately for historically underrepresented group operators

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic small businesses made headlines as hard hit by customer losses, revenue declines, and business closures. Yet, the impacts have been felt disproportionately by small businesses that suffered interruption due to pre-existing socioeconomic stressors and/or concurrent natural hazards experienced during the pandemic. To illuminate those compound impacts, we conducted a survey of over 1350 U S.-based small businesses. Our findings indicate that those businesses that experienced concurrent natural hazards during the pandemic were associated with relatively greater negative impacts. But importantly, enterprises that are historically underrepresented group operated (HUGO)-minority, women, and veteran-operated businesses- saw largely amplified negative impacts from COVID-19. In terms of the magnitude of COVID-19 impacts, the effect size of belonging to HUGO was more than twice as large as the effect size of experiencing a concurrent natural hazard during the pandemic. These results provide evidence for the disproportionate impacts that HUGOs face due to the pandemic, which are exacerbated when compounded by natural hazards. Given these results, there is evidence that the opportunity gap between HUGO and non-HUGO businesses is significant ahead of additional stressors or shocks. This opportunity gap is further accelerated when compounded with other events, here the compounding of natural hazards and COVID-19. Additional interventions need to be offered to HUGO businesses in areas with high likelihood of overlapping incidents. Further work is required to address social inequity and economic fragility of HUGO businesses, especially those that face the complexity of additional shocks, such as natural hazards.

Automated summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on small businesses, particularly those already facing socio-economic stressors and natural hazards. The study found that businesses experiencing concurrent natural hazards during the pandemic had greater negative impacts, and HUGO enterprises (those historically underrepresented groups) were disproportionately affected by COVID-19. The results highlight the need for additional interventions to address the opportunity gap and support HUGO businesses, especially in areas with overlapping incidents of natural hazards.