The silent assassin: Business demand changes following disaster.

This paper examines the impact of business demand changes on organisational recovery within the post-disaster context. Drawing on data gathered from organisations five years after the Canterbury 2010/11 earthquakes, the paper details a number of patterns of demand for goods and services and the subsequent ability of organisations to meet such demand. It is argued that business continuity planners should not underestimate the effects of interrupted demand chains as part of risk mapping. Proactive movement towards resilience thinking, that specifically includes engagement with the management of demand, will potentially lead to better organisational recovery outcomes.