Just came across this white paper from The Boston Consulting Group. Published this year in May, it covers why purpose matters so much today, the definition of purpose, and how an organization can bring it to life.

Found the use of the phrase, “surface purpose,” interesting:

Many organizations do a superficial job of articulating why they exist, settling for vision-setting exercises that lead to little more than catchy slogans and posters. Some craft purpose statements that are so generic they could apply to just about any company. Other efforts are inauthentic, like the politically correct promotion that has no connection to the company’s DNA. But even among organizations that articulate their purpose effectively, many are guilty of going no further. They do almost nothing to integrate purpose into the day-to-day experiences of their employees and customers. This “surface purpose” amounts to a thin veneer that doesn’t ingrain new beliefs and behaviors.

A great read and summary. Also a great document to use for making a case for purpose.