From Intent to Decision: Observing the Translation of Purpose in Institutional Decision Systems (Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and Patagonia)

What organisations actually act on is not purpose—but what purpose becomes. Organisations declare purpose—but decisions are made elsewhere. This paper traces how purpose is translated into the criteria, structures, and signals that govern real decisions. Across Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and Patagonia, it shows that meaning is systematically reformulated as it moves through governance systems. What institutions act on is not original intent, but its translated representation embedded in decision rules. The paper provides a replicable method to observe this process directly in governance artefacts. About the Coherence ProgrammeThe Coherence Programme studies why institutions drift despite appearing aligned. It…