Religious business leaders in Pakistan: theorising the phenomena of religiosity-driven business practices

Abstract

Sharia-compliant companies follow Islamic laws in business. The owners of such companies adhere to the Islamic ideology in their professional and personal lives. This study analyses the interplay of business leader's religiosity and its manifestation in the organisation. The interconnection between personal religious values and business practices was explored. The grounded theory qualitative approach was adopted and in-depth interviews conducted. Findings revealed an overarching environment of industry's ethical practices and the business leader's level of authority. The business leader is influenced by personal conditions like his attitude of gratitude to Allah, his level of Islamic knowledge and his family's support. Many causes, processes and consequences of using an Islamic business model were discovered. This study offers insight into narratives of Muslim business leaders and the influence of their strong sense of religion on professional life, business strategy and operational decisions.