Organizational decision-making by German state-owned forest companies concerning climate change adaptation measures

There is considerable tension or even a contradiction between the claim of long-term organizational decision-making, planning and steering of ecosystems and the lack of knowledge and experience about future ecosystem development — a tension that becomes tangible in the case of climate change adaptation. In our case study we focus on problem-solving performances related to a) the organizational response of state-owned forest companies confronted with heterogeneous expectations and interests from their dynamic environments (an external perspective) and b) long-term decision-making under uncertainty on the regional and local level (an internal perspective). First, we presume that practical decision-making concerning climate change adaptation measures (e.g. tree species selection) is far from rational. Based on Karl Weick's sensemaking concept (Weick, 1995), forest companies are rather understood as interpretation systems that scan, interpret, and learn while acting in mutual dependencies with their environment. Second, along with DiMaggio and Powell (1983), we assume that these organizations absorb uncertainty by adopting solutions (e.g. working tools such as risk maps) from other forest administrations and companies, whose response, when faced with the same problem, is considered as legitimate within the forestry community (institutional isomorphism). Based on qualitative (32 expert interviews with senior administrators) and quantitative (national online survey among district foresters) data, we argue that – instead of being considered a hurdle for long-term planning – the acceptance of indispensable uncertainty leads to an understanding of planning as a creative process, enabling a variety of solutions. •Managers absorb uncertainty by imitating solutions (e.g. new DSS tools).•Practitioners value their decision-making autonomy more than scientific information.•Guiding principles (e.g. sustainability) are used for legitimizing decision-making.•Accepting uncertainty enables a more creative and open solution seeking behavior.•Organization studies will become an important research field in forestry economics.