Beyond profits: A multi-chapter computational analysis of corporate purpose, meaningful work, and societal outcomes

“The deepest resources for the transformation of business, as for society as a whole, lie within the human heart. It is there we have to seek what it is we truly value and yearn for, and where we can harness the strongest motivation to change— ourselves, our organizations, and our world—for the better”. ~ Cardinal Vincent Nichols This dissertation examines the multifaceted ways in which corporate purpose and organizational culture are associated with legitimacy, employee engagement, and ethical behavior within firms. Through three interrelated chapters, this work analyzes how purpose and culture function as both strategic tools and lived realities that shape organizational identity and influence stakeholder relationships. The first chapter addresses the question: What drives the organizational adoption of purpose statements, and how do firms interpret the concept of purpose within their strategic and social contexts? This inquiry is motivated by the observation that firms often adopt purpose claims in response to stakeholder pressures and evolving societal norms. The chapter argues that the prominence of specific stakeholders, such as employees or customers, influences whether and how organizations adopt purpose statements. Firms with high human capital intensity are more likely to adopt purpose statements, as these align with employee expectations and help foster organizational coherence. Conversely, firms highly dependent on customer relations may face tension between market-driven imperatives and broader purpose-driven commitments. Additionally, pressures from the broader social environment, such as institutional investors or governance norms, also shape the adoption and framing of purpose claims. By analyzing the factors that drive adoption of purpose statements, this chapter highlights how purpose serves as both a strategic response to stakeholder demands and a mechanism for signaling legitimacy. In the second chapter, the dissertation delves into the duality of corporate purpose, distinguishing between espoused purpose (what organizations claim) and experienced purpose (what employees perceive). By analyzing employee reviews from Glassdoor using natural language processing, this chapter uncovers the conditions under which organizational purpose is authentically experienced by employees. The results underscore the potential disconnect between organizational claims and employee perceptions, revealing that misalignment can occur, especially under conditions of corporate social irresponsibility. Overall, this study highlights that when firms genuinely commit to pro-societal behavior through both their speech and actions, employees are more likely to experience purpose and find meaning in their work. The third chapter focuses on organizational culture and its role in predicting misconduct, examining how cultural signals—such as employee dissatisfaction, toxic leadership, and inadequate resources and creativity — serve as early indicators of ethical failure. Utilizing employee-generated data, this chapter identifies cultural weaknesses that may escalate into misconduct, providing firms with insights into detecting and addressing potential ethical risks before they manifest. This dissertation makes a unique contribution by integrating multiple levels of analysis—ranging from organizational adoption of purpose statements to employee experiences and cultural signals of misconduct—offering a comprehensive understanding of purpose and culture as critical elements of organizational strategy and identity. Together, these chapters offer new insights into how the concepts of purpose and culture are interwoven with internal dynamics and external legitimacy of the organization. By uncovering the nuanced ways in which purpose serves as both a strategic tool and a lived experience, and by identifying early cultural indicators of ethical risks, this work advances our understanding of how firms can navigate evolving societal expectations while fostering long-term sustainability and legitimacy. Ultimately, this research highlights purpose and culture not only as management concepts but as actionable strategic tools that can guide organizations toward greater internal and external alignment with their environment.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Business Administration

Grantor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2025

Author dc:creator

• Chhillar, Deepika

Contributors dc:contributor

• Love, Geoffrey
• Kraatz, Matthew
• Benton, Richard
• Ocasio, William

• Employee Engagement
• Corporate Purpose
• Organizational Culture
• Meaningful Work
• Corporate Social Irresponsibility (CSI)

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2025 Deepika Chhillar

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129508

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F129508