Religion and Entrepreneurship through the Lens of the Theory of Planned Behavior: A Systematic Literature Review

Religion, as a system of meaning shaping an individual’s worldview, life practices, and community engagement, has been shown to influence entrepreneurship. Yet, despite the growing body of research on religion and entrepreneurship, the field still lacks a comprehensive overview of how religion influences the entrepreneurial process. This literature review addresses that gap by systematically collecting and categorizing studies on religion and entrepreneurship through the lens of the theory of planned behavior, one of the leading frameworks for understanding entrepreneurship. Drawing from 107 research articles, we find that most studies focus on the influence of religion-related entrepreneurial attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control on entrepreneurial activity. Additionally, our findings highlight the ambivalent role of religion in the entrepreneurial process, producing both positive and negative outcomes. On the positive side, religious influences can strengthen entrepreneurial attitudes, such as resilience and altruism, and improve behavioral control by providing access to resources and networks, ultimately leading to favorable entrepreneurial outcomes. Negative consequences arise in terms of behavioral control, such as limited access to financing, and in subjective norms due to religious restrictions. These restrictive norms tend to disproportionately affect women entrepreneurs. We conclude by recommending further research, particularly on the influence of religion on entrepreneurial intentions and its impact on the gap between intentions and actions.