Strategic Aspirations

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    Abstract

    Strategic aspirations are public announcements designed to inspire, motivate, and create expectations about the future. Vision statements or value declarations are examples of such talk, through which organizations announce their ideal selves and declare what they (intend to) do. While aspirations are often encouraged by social norms, regulations, and institutions—for example, institutionalized standards for corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting—they live through local articulations and enactments that allow organizations to discover who they are and who they might become. Strategic aspirations, in other words, have exploratory and inspirational potential—two features that are highly essential in complex areas such as sustainability and CSR. This entry takes a communicative focus on strategic aspirations, highlighting the value of aspirational talk, understood as ideals and intentions that current organizational practices cannot yet live up to.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationThe SAGE Encyclopedia of Corporate Reputation
    EditorsCraig E. Carroll
    Place of PublicationThousand Oaks, CA
    PublisherSAGE Publications
    Publication date2016
    Pages818-821
    ISBN (Print)9781483376516
    ISBN (Electronic)9781483376493
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2016

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