Corporate Purpose: What’s Really at the Heart of Business?

What is the purpose of business? Scholars and practitioners continue to ask this question particularly in today’s multi-crises environment, which has challenged the relevance of for-profit companies and has led to the rise of alternative forms of business. While research on corporate purpose has grown in recent years, with underlying constructs being developed and defined, knowledge gaps still remain regarding its characteristics, composition, scope and limitations. Our invited panel's expertise in business ethics, sustainability and organization theory will provide a nuanced and multi-perspective discussion of the purpose of business to the Academy.