Values, Spirituality and Religion: Family Business and the Roots of Sustainable Ethical Behavior
Astrachan J., Binz-Astrachan C., Campopiano G., Baù M.
Journal of Business Ethics, 163(4), 2020
Guest Editors
Joseph H. Astrachan, Witten University, Germany; Cornell University, USA
Claudia Binz Astrachan, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland
Giovanna Campopiano, Lancaster Management School, UK
Massimo Baù, Jönköping International Business School, Sweden
Abstract
The inclusion of morally binding values such as religious—or in a broader sense, spiritual—values fundamentally alter organizational decision-making and ethical behavior. Family firms, being a particularly value-driven type of organization, provide ample room for religious beliefs to affect family, business, and individual decisions. The influence that the owning family is able to exert on value formation and preservation in the family business makes religious family firms an incubator for value-driven and faith-led decision-making and behavior. They represent a particularly rich and relevant context to re-assess the relationship between ethical beliefs, decision-making processes and behaviors in business organizations at the interface between family and professional logics. This Special Issue is dedicated to deepening our understanding of the role religious values and spirituality play in the formation of organizational ethical practices in faith-led family firms and resulting organizational and family-related outcomes. In this editorial, we introduce the 10 papers included in this Special Issue, which investigate the relationship between religion or spirituality and family firm ethical behavior in various geographical, cultural and religious contexts, using a multitude of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. By focusing on the effects of religious or spiritual orientations on both the business and the family, as well as on the values, norms and goals present in the family business system, further research can gain a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between religious and spiritual believes, and sustainable ethical behavior in family firms.
Editorial
- Astrachan, J. H., Binz Astrachan, C., Campopiano, G., & Baù, M. (2020). Values, spirituality and religion: Family business and the roots of sustainable ethical behavior. Journal of Business Ethics, 163(4), 637-645.
Articles in this Special Issue
- Fathallah, R., Sidani, Y., & Khalil, S. (2020). How religion shapes family business ethical behaviors: An institutional logics perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 163(4), 647-659.
- Barbera, F., Shi, H. X., Agarwal, A., & Edwards, M. (2020). The family that prays together stays together: Toward a process model of religious value transmission in family firms. Journal of Business Ethics, 163(4), 661-673.
- Dieleman, M., & Koning, J. (2020). Articulating values through identity work: Advancing family business ethics research. Journal of Business Ethics, 163(4), 675-687.
- Kavas, M., Jarzabkowski, P., & Nigam, A. (2020). Islamic family business: The constitutive role of religion in business. Journal of Business Ethics, 163(4), 689-700.
- Carradus, A., Zozimo, R., & Discua Cruz, A. (2020). Exploring a faith-led open-systems perspective of stewardship in family businesses. Journal of business ethics, 163(4), 701-714.
- Bhatnagar, N., Sharma, P., & Ramachandran, K. (2020). Spirituality and corporate philanthropy in Indian family firms: An exploratory study. Journal of Business Ethics, 163(4), 715-728.
- Tabor, W., Madison, K., Marler, L. E., & Kellermanns, F. W. (2020). The effects of spiritual leadership in family firms: A conservation of resources perspective. Journal of business ethics, 163(4), 729-743.
- Maung, M., Miller, D., Tang, Z., & Xu, X. (2020). Value-enhancing social responsibility: Market reaction to donations by family vs. non-family firms with religious CEOs. Journal of Business Ethics, 163(4), 745-758.
- Pieper, T. M., Williams Jr, R. I., Manley, S. C., & Matthews, L. M. (2020). What time may tell: An exploratory study of the relationship between religiosity, temporal orientation, and goals in family business. Journal of business ethics, 163(4), 759-773.
- Abdelgawad, S. G., & Zahra, S. A. (2020). Family firms’ religious identity and strategic renewal. Journal of Business Ethics, 163(4), 775-787.
Link
- Read the special issue