Although discussions of the purpose of firms and for whom firms exist have been the focal elements of stakeholder theory since Ed Freeman’s seminal book was published in 1984, little is known about how the motivation and orientation of firms regarding value creation from the stakeholder perspective relate to different types of firm purpose. Using intrinsic and extrinsic motivational states and single and multiple value orientations, the present study proposes the following types of firm purpose: (1) self-serving purpose, (2) strategic purpose, (3) moral purpose and (4) problem-solving purpose. Moreover, the study examines the concept of firm purpose in relation to different types of stakeholder cooperation strategies and impacts of cooperation on value creation, leading to four propositions that could serve as a foundation for future empirical research.
