Oxford Handbook of Social Purpose

Social purpose is the strategic commitment by leaders to generate positive outcomes in society for multiple stakeholders through their organizational operations. An organization's social purpose may benefit any number of causes from human rights to environmental sustainability, at a large or small scale. The stakes can be high, for the organization's stability as well as for the larger community, and complex strategizing is required by leaders to plan, execute, and evaluate the implementation of social purpose initiatives. The Oxford Handbook of Social Purpose makes a foundational contribution to this field. Across twenty-eight chapters, the edited volume captures why social purpose is theoretically and practically important as well as timely. Throughout the Handbook, there are recurring themes around leadership, strategy, and stakeholders. The chapters are organized into four themes: First, conceptualizing social purpose; second, governance and strategy for social purpose; third, implementing and embedding social purpose; fourth, social purpose in practice. While the Handbook provides a valuable contribution to social purpose, it recognises that there is valuable future research and practice to follow. The Handbook concludes by calling on academics to build the evidence-base and practitioners to commit to delivering on social purpose through their activities. The stakes could not be higher to act now.

William S. Harvey is the Director of Sustainable Value Creation and Professor of Leadership at Melbourne Business School. He is an International Research Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Corporate Reputation and a Board Director of WISE Employment. Will advises leaders on reputation, purpose, and leadership. His work has featured in The Australian, BBC, Bloomberg, the Financial Times, Fortune, Wired, and The Conversation. Will is the author of Reputations at Stake (Oxford). Alexander Newman is the Associate Dean of Faculty and Professor of Management at Melbourne Business School. He has published widely on the topics of organizational behavior, leadership, entrepreneurship, and business ethics in journals such as the Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Organizational Behavior, and Leadership Quarterly. Alex delivers courses in Organisational Behavior and Leadership to MBAs and Executives. Prior to working in Australia, Alex worked in both China and Japan. Libby Ward-Christie is the Director of the Centre for Social Purpose Organisations at Melbourne Business School. She is a recognized leader in Australia's social purpose ecosystem with a wealth of experience in applied social purpose research, education, and engagement. Libby is often called on to advise organizations and governments and publishes in both industry and academic arenas on topics relating to social entrepreneurship, social finance, impact measurement, and for-purpose strategy.