Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
7-2023
Abstract
Purpose is a concept often used in managerial communities to signal and define a firm’s benevolent and pluralistic approach to its stakeholders beyond its focus on shareholders. While some evidence has linked purpose to positive organizational outcomes such as growth, employee satisfaction, innovation, and superior stock market performance, the definition and application of purpose in management research has been varied and frequently ambiguous. We review literature streams that invoke purpose in the for-profit firm and propose a unifying definition. Next, we develop a framework to study purpose that decouples its framing and formalization within firms from its realization, thus helping to avoid conflation of the presence of purpose with positive organizational outcomes. The framework also highlights internal and external drivers that shape the framing of purpose as well as the influence of the institutional context on its adoption and effectiveness. Finally, we provide a rich agenda for future research on purpose.
Keywords
purpose, sustainability, impact, corporate social responsibility, mission
Discipline
Organizational Behavior and Theory | Strategic Management Policy
Research Areas
Strategy and Organisation
Publication
Journal of Management
Volume
49
Issue
6
First Page
1841
Last Page
1869
ISSN
0149-2063
Identifier
10.1177/01492063211006450
Publisher
SAGE
Embargo Period
7-1-2021
Citation
GEORGE, Gerard; HAAS, Martine R.; McGahan, Anita M.; SCHILLEBEECKX, Simon J.D.; and TRACEY, Paul.
Purpose in the for-profit firm: A review and framework for management research. (2023). Journal of Management. 49, (6), 1841-1869.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/6728
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1177/01492063211006450