How do strategic leaders frame corporate purpose? Investigating competing frames and framing approaches in executive discourse

Abstract Corporate purpose is gaining momentum in contemporary business communities, yet it often appears shrouded in ambiguity. Although research is growing in popularity, the analysis of corporate purpose from the perspective of strategic leaders remains an unexplored domain. Prior research has dealt with purpose primarily at the firm level, while overlooking how strategic leaders make sense of corporate purpose in their discourses. Adopting an inductive approach, we discover competing frames revolving around four dimensions: the emergence of corporate purpose, its temporal perception, the dynamic between purpose and profit, and the distributed nature of purpose. Then we uncover three ideal‐typical framing approaches (strategic, moral, and relational) that capture recurrent discursive patterns employed by executives. As such, we advance a perspective on corporate purpose that appreciates its discursive aspects. The study also points to the importance of the cognitive and discursive dimensions of strategic leadership, highlighting the heterogeneity in how leaders frame purpose within their organizations.