Creating an index of vulnerability to severe coastal storms along the North Shore of Boston

Samuel J. Ratick; Holly Morehouse; Ronald K. Klimberg

doi:10.1108/S0276-8976(2009)0000013011

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Applications of Management Science

ISSN: 0276-8976
Series editor(s): Professor Kenneth D. Lawrence

Subject Area: Management Science/Management Studies

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Creating an index of vulnerability to severe coastal storms along the North Shore of Boston

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Title:	Creating an index of vulnerability to severe coastal storms along the North Shore of Boston
Author(s):	Samuel J. Ratick, Holly Morehouse, Ronald K. Klimberg
Volume:	13 Editor(s): Kenneth D. Lawrence, Gary Kleinman ISBN: 978-1-84855-878-6 eISBN: 978-1-84855-879-3
Citation:	Samuel J. Ratick, Holly Morehouse, Ronald K. Klimberg (2009), Creating an index of vulnerability to severe coastal storms along the North Shore of Boston, in Kenneth D. Lawrence, Gary Kleinman (ed.) Financial Modeling Applications and Data Envelopment Applications (Applications of Management Science, Volume 13), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp.143-178
DOI:	10.1108/S0276-8976(2009)0000013011 (Permanent URL)
Publisher:	Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Article type:	Chapter Item
Abstract:	A great deal of uncertainty accompanies predictions of the potential effects of global climate change on the coastal hazards associated with severe storms. One way to obviate the effects of this uncertainty on the design of policies is to understand the manner in which populations are currently vulnerable to these types of hazards. In this chapter, we develop a method for constructing a relative composite measure of vulnerability using data envelopment analysis (DEA). Through the application of this index, and one constructed using a weighted average, to four costal towns along Boston's North Shore, we demonstrate their potential usefulness to policy formulation and implementation. The DEA composite index is shown to complement the information provided by the weighted average and helps overcome some of its shortcomings such as assigning importance weights and masking of the influence of one or a subset of vulnerability attributes. Acknowledging the spatial implications of floodplain protection and mitigation efforts, the indices are constructed and analyzed at a number of different geographic scales.