Can We Take the Religion out of Religious Decision-Making? The Case of Quaker Business Method

Abstract

In this paper, we explore the philosophical and theological issues that arise when a 'religious' process of decision-making, which is normally taken to require specific theological commitments both for its successful use and for its coherent explanation, is transferred into 'secular' contexts in which such theological commitments are not shared. Using the example of Quaker Business Method, we show how such a move provokes new theological questions, as well as questions for management studies.

Moral Identity and the Quaker tradition: Moral Dissonance Negotiation in the WorkPlace

“…Its theology is diverse, varied and 'liquid' (Collins and Dandelion 2014), although central to Quakerism is the idea of the Light Within implanted by God in every person and a readiness to answer that of God in another (Dandelion 2004). Quakers tend not to worship a defined deity, widely reject the sacred/secular binary, and have no priesthood or other formalized hierarchy (Muers and Burton 2019), acknowledging the priesthood of all believers (Cranmer 2003).…”

Gods Are Still in Business - Introduction to the Symposium: God and Management

“…A feature of the relationship between God and management, focusing more specifically on the methodology behind a decision-making process, is further explored in Muers and Burton's article "Can We Take the Religion out of Religious Decision-Making? The Case of Quaker Business Method" (Muers and Burton 2018). The authors focus on the challenges raised by transferring decisionmaking process from a religious to a secular context, with the aim of highlighting the sets of managerial and theological questions that such a transfer generates.…”

“…The article uses the example of the "Quaker business method": a decision-making method born from and developed in a religious context, which tends to be exported to secular business contexts. "The 'Quaker business method' include the lack of voting, of confrontational debate and of other practices that emphasize differences of opinion; an intentional shared search for unity, which is not understood as compromise or consensus; contemporaneous agreement of minutes (especially minutes of decision) in the meetings at which the decisions are taken, with the expectation of shared ownership of the decisions thereafter; and the use of reflective silence in meetings" (Muers and Burton 2018).…”

“…While the authors conclude that this method facilitates secular appropriation, they nonetheless point out the limitations of such transfers and the issues that might arise. The Quaker business method "might plausibly be accepted by people who are committed to certain core theological claims, while also making it possible fully to acknowledge, and indeed to enter into a dialogue about, the successful use of a religious decision-making practice in secular contexts and by non-believers" (Muers and Burton 2018). When focusing on the challenges of such transfers, the authors note the asymmetry of power in organizational decision-making and how it might shape "the understandings of divine power within the religiously-based decisionmaking process" (Muers and Burton 2018).…”

“…The Quaker business method "might plausibly be accepted by people who are committed to certain core theological claims, while also making it possible fully to acknowledge, and indeed to enter into a dialogue about, the successful use of a religious decision-making practice in secular contexts and by non-believers" (Muers and Burton 2018). When focusing on the challenges of such transfers, the authors note the asymmetry of power in organizational decision-making and how it might shape "the understandings of divine power within the religiously-based decisionmaking process" (Muers and Burton 2018). Indeed, when this method is transferred to a decision-making process where there are sizable asymmetries of power, it is unclear whether the method is sufficient to restore these powers to equilibrium.…”