Who gives purpose to a company?

The answer: People!

A company is a group of individuals, running a business is giving a mutual purpose to them.

Purpose is one key factor for motivated employees (other factors are autonomy and mastery).

The first person in a company, the entrepreneur, starts a company from a vision. It provides the initial purpose.

As people buy-in into the vision, the company grows. The stronger the vision, the higher the attraction; the weaker the vision, the earlier the need to adapt it to attract new people.

So, can you see who gives purpose to a company?

The people, who are coming to work on a day to day basis, will need to be busy with a job, which makes sense to them. Their motivation to contribute to the business determines the value of the company.

People represent the value and thereby the purpose of a company.

Take care for them, or the purpose suddenly will be gone.