Knowledge for natural disaster-resilient businesses in emerging economies: a focus on decision-making by tourism entrepreneurs

To develop resilient business models, entrepreneurs who operate in an emerging economy tourist destination under continuous threat of natural disasters would benefit from knowledge attained by practical experience as well as by academic research. The aim of this study is to examine how the application of this knowledge can bolster business resilience. We draw on current empirical literature in the areas of business and tourism resilience to identify the scope of actionable design interventions. Eighteen years (2000-2018) of tourism and business resilience research were reviewed by a panel of experts to identify reoccurring topics, issues and problems. Following a thematic analysis, these topics were organised into business model canvas (BMC) blocks. We answer the question of how knowledge may be generated to aid the decision-making by tourism entrepreneurs of emerging economies whose businesses are disrupted by natural disaster events. Our contribution is simultaneously to academia and management through the conceptualisation of the BMC as an entrepreneurial knowledge management tool and as a framework for resilient business design.