Navigating uncertainty: a German case study on how family business entrepreneurs assess the business environment

Purpose Today's business environment is marked by relentless uncertainty. This German case study aims to investigate how non-financial and individual drivers shape family business entrepreneurs' assessment of the business environment. We adopt the two theoretical perspectives of socioemotional wealth and upper echelons theory, highlighting the interplay of organizational priorities and personal goals in entrepreneurial behavior. Design/methodology/approach Our exploratory in-depth case study in the German shipping industry combines interviews and archival data. This approach allows a nuanced synthesis of industry context and entrepreneurial behavior, revealing the complexities underlying business environment assessment. Findings Our findings lead to a model identifying Socio-strategic Goals, Personal Profile, Entrepreneurial Principles and the act of Environmental Assessment per se as key drivers shaping family business entrepreneurs' perception of the business environment. Each overarching theme reveals decision-making patterns, highlighting how family business entrepreneurs interpret and respond to their business environment. Originality/value Research on how family business entrepreneurs assess their business environment remains highly limited. This study investigates how non-financial and personal goals influence the assessment of the business environment. We develop a structured framework, integrating four overarching themes – Socio-strategic Goals, Personal Profile, Entrepreneurial Principles and Environmental Assessment. By empirically identifying key drivers, this study advances theoretical understanding through an integration of socioemotional wealth and upper echelons theory and offers managerial guidance by illustrating how these drivers can inform more deliberate and structured decision-making under uncertainty.