Work ethic, religion and moral energy: the case of Turkish SME owner-managers

Uygur, Selcuk, Spence, Laura J., Simpson, Ruth and Karakas, Fahri (2017) Work ethic, religion and moral energy: the case of Turkish SME owner-managers. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 28 (8). pp. 1212-1235. ISSN 0958-5192

Microsoft Word (IJHRM Special Issue Work Ethic Religion and Moral Energy) - Accepted Version Download (80kB)

Abstract

This paper explores the hitherto neglected issue of how religious beliefs influence the work ethic of Turkish SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise) owner-managers. We draw on Weber’s notion of Lebensführung, which captures the manner of living one’s life, as a theoretical and explanatory lens. The research is conducted among religious Muslim entrepreneurs, which showed strong diaspora characteristics in its early emergence in 1990s. Based on qualitative research on Turkish entrepreneurs (SME owner-managers), we find that a new Islamic discourse –appearing as more liberal and pro market oriented- together with the Muslim work ethic, drive entrepreneurialism in Turkey. We demonstrate that the contemporary Muslim work ethic comprises a ‘moral energy’, which manifests itself variously as rational/secular, shared/communicated, and action-oriented driver for Muslim entrepreneurs, helping to sustain their entrepreneurial activities in the Turkish context.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	work ethic,moral energy,islam,turkey
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Norwich Business School
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Employment Systems and Institutions Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Business Strategy (former - to 2019) Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Strategy and Entrepreneurship Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Marketing
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	15 Apr 2016 15:00
Last Modified:	22 Oct 2022 01:01
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/58284
DOI:	10.1080/09585192.2016.1166790

Downloads

Actions (login required)

View Item