With the increasing urgency of climate change, resource- and location-bound organizations are under growing pressure to adapt to its negative implications. Yet, the adaptation strategies of these organizations often diverge between adopting sustainable climate change adaptation strategies or neglecting sustainable principles. Research has highlighted the importance of external pressures, such as regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations, in driving sustainable climate change adaptation strategies. However, the organizational sciences have largely overlooked the role of internal decision-making processes in shaping these strategies, particularly in contexts where external pressures are less prevalent. Drawing on the Behavioral Theory of the Firm and Temporality, we argue that the decision-maker's goal focus plays a critical role in determining climate change adaptation outcomes. We explain how the time perspective of goals can influence decision outcomes, and how, in turn, this impacts the length of the decision-making loop. We conclude by discussing implications for organizations, emphasizing the importance of aligning decision-makers' goals with long-term time perspectives, and offer suggestions for future research.
