Merkityksellisyyden perusteluja yritysten verkkosivuilla

Authors

• Tessa Virta Vaasan yliopisto

DOI: https://doi.org/10.70484/vakki.149355

Keywords:

merkityksellisyys, retoriikka, ulkoinen viestintä, verkkosivut, yritysviestintä

Abstract

Companies are no longer valued solely for the products and services they offer, but also for what they represent. As expectations have increased, clarifying a company's purpose has become an essential factor in an uncertain society and competitive environment. This research addresses the question of how companies communicate their purpose on their websites. The study also outlines where this phenomenon fits in the field of organizational communication research. A rhetorical analysis of purpose-related websites suggests that companies' communication about purpose is factualizing, generic, industry-dependent, profitability-oriented, and primarily targeted at customers. The study shows that purpose is linked to four dimensions: environmental responsibility, customer orientation, solution orientation, and profitability. Compared to the dominant approaches in branding and management, the perspective of organizational communication highlights the strategic role of purpose, particularly in communicating company's goals and solutions.