Islam and socially responsible business conduct: An empirical research among Dutch entrepreneurs

This paper explores the relationship between the Islamic religion and the level of socially responsible business conduct (SRBC) of Islamic entrepreneurs. We find that the common idea of SRBC corresponds with the view of business in the Islam, although there are also some notable differences. We also find that Muslim entrepreneurs attach a higher weight to specific elements of SRBC than non- Muslims. But, on the other hand, we find that Muslims are less involved with applying SRBC in practice than non-Muslim managers. Furthermore, values and norms derived from the Islamic religion motivate entrepreneurs to contribute more to SRBC and lead to a higher commitment to specific aspects of SRBC compared to individually developed values and norms. Finally, the view of human nature of the Islam, preaching the natural goodness of man as a social being, leads to a positive view of SRBC.