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How Islamic Business Ethics Impact Women Entrepreneurs: Insights from Four Arab Middle Eastern Countries

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  • Hayfaa Tlaiss

Abstract

This study explores how Islamic business ethics and values impact the way in which Muslim women entrepreneurs conduct their business in the Arab world. Guided by institutional theory as a theoretical framework and social constructionism as a philosophical stance, this study uses a qualitative, interview-based methodology. Capitalizing on in-depth, face-to-face interviews with Muslim Arab women entrepreneurs across four countries in the Arab Middle East region, the results portray how Islamic work values and ethics are embedded in the entrepreneurial activities of these Arab women. The results also illustrate how Muslim women entrepreneurs seek well-being (falah) in their life and excellence (itqan) in their work while running their businesses. The Muslim women entrepreneurs adhered to the Islamic work-related values of good and hard work (amal salih), honesty and truthfulness (sidik and amanah), fairness and justice (haqq and adl), and benevolence (ihsaan) and perceived them as instrumental to the survival and success of their enterprises. The agency of the Muslim Arab women allowed them to construct and navigate their entrepreneurial careers away from the traditional, doctrinaire interpretations of Islam. This study, therefore, contributes to theory development on the interrelationship between gender and business ethics within entrepreneurial contexts and in relation to Muslim values. It also contributes to studies on entrepreneurship and business ethics by showing how Arab women practice entrepreneurship and project their faith in their enterprises. The implications of the study for academics, multinational corporations, and globalization are numerous and important for understanding how business is conducted in Islamic countries. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Hayfaa Tlaiss, 2015. "How Islamic Business Ethics Impact Women Entrepreneurs: Insights from Four Arab Middle Eastern Countries," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 129(4), pages 859-877, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:129:y:2015:i:4:p:859-877
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-014-2138-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kathleen Dechant & Asya Al Lamky, 2005. "Toward An Understanding Of Arab Women Entrepreneurs In Bahrain And Oman," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 10(02), pages 123-140.
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    3. Luthans, Fred & Stajkovic, Alexander D. & Ibrayeva, Elina, 2000. "Environmental and psychological challenges facing entrepreneurial development in transitional economies," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 95-110, April.
    4. Bayu Possumah & Abdul Ismail & Shahida Shahimi, 2013. "Bringing Work Back in Islamic Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 112(2), pages 257-270, January.
    5. Faraha Nawaz, 2009. "Critical Factors of Women Entrepreneurship Development in Rural Bangladesh," Bangladesh Development Research Working Paper Series (BDRWPS) BDRWPS No. 5, Bangladesh Development Research Center (BDRC).
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