17436: Strategic Leadership in Purpose-Driven Renewal, and Transformative Change: Actors’ Perspectives

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

15:30 - 17:00 CEST (GMT+2)

Location: Bella Center: Hall C- C2-m1

Session Type: Symposium (panel)
Orientation: Practice,International,Research,Diversity
Shareable link: https://cdmcd.co/7bp9rR

Organizer(s)

AB

Albena Björck

ZHAW School of Management and Law, Switzerland
JP

Johanna E. Pregmark

Chalmers U. of Technology, Sweden

Moderator(s)

TF

Tobias Fredberg

Chalmers U. of Technology, Sweden

Distinguished Speaker(s)

MW

Margarethe F. Wiersema

U. of California, Irvine, United States
HV

Henk W. Volberda

Amsterdam Business School, U. of Amsterdam, Netherlands
RD

Rodolphe Durand

HEC Paris, France

Panelist(s)

WP

William A. Pasmore

Columbia U., United States
MG

Magdalena Gerger

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The interplay between strategic leadership and corporate purpose has been gaining prominence as managers and boards are steering organizations to address complex and conflicting transformative forces - disruptive technologies, stakeholder activism, and radically changing normative and regulatory environments (Durand, 2023; Volberda, 2022). Corporate purpose, increasingly seen as a strategic compass and organizational ideal (Gulati, 2022; Ocasio, Kraatz & Chandler, 2023) and catalyst for systemic change and renewal (Henderson, 2021; Volberda, Baden-Füller & Bosch, 2001), serves to unite and inspire stakeholders while guiding strategic leadership’s decisions, actions, and perceptions. However, extant research largely focuses on firm-level outcomes, leaving critical gaps in understanding how actors—board, top management, or employees— are bridging the gap between aspirational goals and business realities (Durand, 2023; Pasmore & Woodman, 2017). In continuation of the symposia AOM2023 and AOM 2024 on corporate purpose, this panel symposium draws on empirical findings, theoretical frameworks, and practical insights to address the “actor dimension”, strategic leadership embodied by boards, top management, and other stakeholders, in the context of purpose-driven strategic renewal and transformative change. To discuss current challenges and future research directions, we invited leading experts in strategic leadership, corporate governance, organizational transformation, and strategic renewal. The members of the panel have academic as well as practitioner backgrounds and experiences.