Foundation of business ethics in contemporary religious thought: the Ten Commandment perspective

Abstract

Perhaps, one of the most influencing set of principles in Christianity, Judaism and Islam is the Ten Commandments (TCs). They are often recited by ordinary and élite people of these three major faiths. In fact, in some quarters among Christians, Jews and Muslims, the TCs are taken for granted and their influence is reflected in the behavior and attitudes of the believers. The widespread use of the TCs and their popularity can be attributed to their practical application to day-to-day relationships and to their regular use and reference in religious ceremonies. Aside from the tendency for their use to regulate relations between men and their fellow man and God, the TCs have had a profound impact on work and on the organizational workplace. This paper is designed to review the TCs in Christian, Jewish and Islamic faiths. In particular, the paper provides implications regarding the use of TCs in work and business organizations. Work ethics and the Ten CommandmentsOne of the most interesting aspects of the work ethic as viewed by Christianity, Judaism and Islam is its dynamic and practical evolution over the years. To some extent this evolution has rendered traditional concepts and attributes obsolete. This dynamic evolution accentuates the need for renewal and revitalization of behavioral and intellectual interpretations and applications for contemporary societies. For example, an earlier Jewish belief viewed work as sinful activity, "if man does not find his food like animals and birds but must earn it, that is due to sin" (Lipset, 1990, p. 62). Likewise, traditionally, Christianity viewed man as having a primordial guilt and holds that engagement in economic activities is inferior to religious duties. Later, however, both Christians and Jews shifted their attitude towards work; perhaps this shift in orientation paved the way for capital accumulation and the question of improving one's economic welfare (Ali, 1993). The opposite was true for Islam. In the early days of Islam and during the golden age of the Islamic civilization

Spirituality and leadership: An empirical review of definitions, distinctions, and embedded assumptions

“…We begin with several examples of the former. Ali & Gibbs (1998) relate the Ten Commandments of three major religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) to the work ethics and practices of their believers. They argue that in a global marketplace and economy, with diversity as the norm rather than the exception, leaders and managers can benefit from understanding the basic embedded religious drives that members of these three religions may bring to their work environment.…”

Islamic Values and Principles in the Organization: A Review of Literature

“…All business decisions must be guided by iman, which practically means abiding by the shariah law, engaging in the things that are permitted (halal), avoiding those thatare forbidden (haram) (Alawneh, 1998). Business decision makers are free to make choices, but religious principles provide a framework for the appropriate exercise of that choice (Ali & Gibbs, 1998 …”

Islamic work ethics and individualism in managing a globalized workplace: Does religiosity and nationality matter?

“…REL at workplace has been a point of concern in numerous studies that reviewed the linkage between faith and work (Graafland, Mazereeuw, & Yahia, 2006;Lynn, Naughton, & VanderVeen, 2009;Steele & Bullock, 2009;Pio & Syed, 2014). Many others (e.g., Furnham & Muhiudeen, 1984;Ali & Gibbs, 1998;Niles, 1999) suggested relying on commonality of values in all religions. US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2011) indicated that employee REL at American workplace has been one of the most demanding and controversial issues.…”