Family Business Dynamics in Unpredictable Contexts

The third volume of the Contemporary Issues in Family Business Entrepreneurship series addresses how family businesses respond to and are shaped by unpredictable and highly complex contexts. As societies and markets move beyond the stable paradigms of the past, family enterprises face new types of uncertainty — driven by technological disruption, geopolitical shifts, environmental crises, and social transformation. These dynamics not only challenge strategic decision-making but also test the very structure, continuity, and identity of family-run firms. While resilience and transformation were the key themes of previous volumes, this edition focuses on how complexity and disorder unfold in real-world family business settings — and how such firms can adapt without losing their core values and long-term orientation. Drawing on systems theory, complexity science, organizational behavior, and entrepreneurship research, the volume provides a multi-dimensional understanding of how family businesses can manage, embrace, and even thrive in unpredictability. Contributions include theoretical, conceptual, and empirical chapters addressing topics such as succession, emotional dynamics, strategic leadership, resilience, innovation, and organizational transformation. In addition to academic perspectives, practitioner-oriented insights and case studies will enhance the practical relevance of this book.