This study examines the risks of decoupling corporate purpose from actual practices, focusing on Boeing as a case study. Despite the increasing attention on corporate purpose, particularly following the 2019 Business Roundtable statement advocating for broader stakeholder interests, research on its symbolic risks remains limited. This study investigates how Boeing's public commitment to corporate purpose became inconsistent with its operational realities, particularly after the 737 MAX crashes. Using an archival methodology, the research draws from sources such as U.S. Department of Justice documents, the book *Flying Blind* (Robison, 2021), the Downfall Netflix documentary, and Boeing’s annual and social responsibility reports. The analysis addresses the research question: "How and why did Boeing’s corporate purpose declaration become misaligned with its practices?" This study contributes to the understanding of corporate purpose, emphasizing the risks of symbolic management and the importance of aligning purpose declarations with authentic organizational practices.
