What are we talking about when we talk about “purpose”: utterance and discourse analysis of the corporate purpose in Spain
Abstract
The corporate purpose has emerged in recent years as a reference concept in business management following the growing demand of citizens regarding the social and environmental impact of companies. This research aims to know in an exploratory way the state of expression of this “purpose” determining the story they convey, as well as its context. The methodological design consists of triangulation that combines a content analysis of the websites of 100 most reputable companies in Spain, an analysis of the discourse of the identified “purposes”, and in-depth interviews to communication and advertising professionals and managers of intangible assets to compare with findings from the previous stages. The results show an uneven expression, a terminological confusion and the establishment of a great discursive axis - sustainability - which is reflected in three thematic areas: progress, healthy world or better life.
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