Analysing the determinants of heatwave risk for small and medium enterprises: a case study

The development of natural disaster vulnerability is influenced by several factors and examining these underlying interactions aids in improving vulnerability assessments and reducing heatwave (HW) impact. The partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to understand the correlation among various risk determinants of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Visakhapatnam, on the east coast of India. The results indicate that the physical infrastructure (0.50), employees and workers (0.31), and hazard likelihood and perception (0.38) vulnerability directly influence the SME risk. The analysis enables in identifying SME risk determinants and areas of prioritisation for SME adaptation measures.