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Islamic Family Business: The Constitutive Role of Religion in Business

Author

Listed:
  • Mustafa Kavas

    (City, University of London)

  • Paula Jarzabkowski

    (City, University of London)

  • Amit Nigam

    (City, University of London)

Abstract

Religion has significantly influenced societies throughout history and across the globe. Family firms—particularly those operating in strongly religious regions—are more likely to be subject to the influence of religion. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which religion affects business activities in family firms. We study how religion impacts business activities through a qualitative study of two Anatolian-based family firms in Turkey. We find that religion provides a dominant meaning system that plays a key role in constituting business activities through three mechanisms: (1) family imports religious practices as business practices; (2) family adheres to religious values as a rationale for business actions; and (3) family religious values define business taboos by avoiding the evil eye. These mechanisms highlight how religion becomes a source of well-understood business practices, how religion defines the nature of rationality that guides business activities, and how religious taboos can delimit the range of potential business activities, respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Mustafa Kavas & Paula Jarzabkowski & Amit Nigam, 2020. "Islamic Family Business: The Constitutive Role of Religion in Business," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 163(4), pages 689-700, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:163:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s10551-019-04384-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-019-04384-5
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    5. Nonyelum Lina Eze & Mattias Nordqvist & Georges Samara & Maria José Parada, 2021. "Different Strokes for Different Folks: The Roles of Religion and Tradition for Transgenerational Entrepreneurship in Family Businesses," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 45(4), pages 792-837, July.
    6. Singh, Gurmeet & Sharma, Shavneet & Sharma, Rashmini & Dwivedi, Yogesh K, 2021. "Investigating environmental sustainability in small family-owned businesses: Integration of religiosity, ethical judgment, and theory of planned behavior," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    7. Burton, Nicholas & Vu, Mai Chi & Cruz, Allan Discua, 2022. "Our social legacy will go on: Understanding outcomes of family SME succession through engaged Buddhism," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 105-118.
    8. Joseph H. Astrachan & Claudia Binz Astrachan & Giovanna Campopiano & Massimo Baù, 2020. "Values, Spirituality and Religion: Family Business and the Roots of Sustainable Ethical Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 163(4), pages 637-645, May.
    9. Krueger, Norris & Bogers, Marcel L.A.M. & Labaki, Rania & Basco, Rodrigo, 2021. "Advancing family business science through context theorizing: The case of the Arab world," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 12(1).
    10. Al-Shamali, Ahmed & Irani, Zahir & Haffar, Mohamed & Al-Shamali, Sarah & Al-Shamali, Fahad, 2021. "The influence of Islamic Work Ethic on employees’ responses to change in Kuwaiti Islamic banks," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(5).

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