Can business and religion mix? Does your religious identity affect your business? Would it not be offensive to make business out religion or religion out of business? Such are questions that people ask in relation to these two topics, in reality, business and religion have a greater relationship than people care to understand or agree. People get influenced or shun from certain business activities, commodities, and business persons due to their religious drive. Similarly, some religions discourage or encourage a certain type of business activities and operations.

I am going to discuss the relationship between religion and business, how religion affects businesses how to neutralize the effects.

Introduction

Religion is how people identify with particular faiths, culture and beliefs. The most practiced religions in the world are Christianity and Islam and even while other people choose not to be religious, their choice may still have an impact on certain businesses. Certain religions dictate the way people transact their business and hence affect believers of a certain faith.

Islam as an example is a monotheistic religion that is centered on Allah, God, and his teachings through Prophet Mohammed and Sharia laws. They insist for business to only take place in between periods after the five prayers breaks in the day (Batz, pg. no. 35). In some states women are banned from business activities and commodities that do not support the religion are also banned. Some companies may endure losses in Islam domain during the fasting month of Ramadan and profits are huge during Hajj in hospitality industries as believers gather in Mecca for pilgrimage.

Christianity believes in one God, built around the life of Jesus, the son of God. Of its four denominations, protestants are the ones who value business teachings. They encourage believers to work and immerse wealth and use it in ways that pleases God, and have no strict restrictions of when and how business should take place

Problem

The problems caused by the relationship between Business and religion are obvious. Certain business practices, like using a certain religion for marketing may encourage believers and might make non-believers shun from the business. Countries that are dominant in certain religion may have different practices. In Saudi Arabia, in comparison to a country like German, businesses often start late, not to interfere with prayers, and yet still be interrupted at least five times a day for prayers. Because Allah controls time, often time deadlines are not used as they are presumed to be rude. This in contrast to German is not allowed, punctuality is to be observed, and turning up late is presumed to be rude. This in turn may cause friction in worldwide business.

Solutions

Religious Freedom

To counter all these differences, an organization, or any business can decide to make its practices free from any religious chains. This measure will attract customers of all walks, who will all trust the business, over-come certain regulations that would be expected of a business with certain religious ethics, and enhance the freedom of the organization and customers (Grim, pg. no. 254). In the larger picture religious freedom contributes to more profits, and better economy with both the self-interest of the business, clients and the government.

Conclusion

Although religion can be used positively to entice customers with certain believes, cultures and ethics, it may also deprive: the business from reaching its full potential with the regulations and rules that come with their faith. Similarly, customers who are discriminated upon or who lack trust in the operations of a certain religious business and the country by constraining its economic and business outcomes in comparison to countries free of religion regulations. In situations where it can be applicable, a business should consider a religion free environment for a society free for experimentation hence increased development.

Work Cited

Grim. The socio-economic contribution to America Society: An empirical analysis. Journal of Religion on Religion. 2016

Batz. The Influence of Religion, Ethics and Culture on International Business. Retrieved from content.grin.com. 2015