Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Shinto... These are the world's eight major religions. Each has its own organized system of beliefs, ceremonies and worship, and each offers prescriptions for positive endeavor in both life - and in business. Today, most business ethics textbooks present philosophical - not religious approaches to business. "This may be because in many countries there is a strongly secularized culture, and religion is considered irrelevant for business in the public sphere,". Yet, it still makes good sense to study business ethics' religious roots, for many reasons. For example, centuries before there was any philosophical approach to business, religions had already offered norms of conduct and values to business people.
Also, many believers want to know how they can translate their religion's vision into the business environment. Moreover, religious ethics provides a set of consistent and reasonable statements regarding business. It's a different approach that provides new horizons for thinking. Also, in our global world, business means dealing with people of different religions, and ignoring or misinterpreting religious ethical approaches can cause serious problems. A deeper knowledge of religious business ethics might bring about a better understanding of people worldwide. It can also facilitate a more intense dialogue between different religions and between religious and philosophical approaches. Understanding how the world's religions approach business ethics encourages tolerance and understanding.
Judaism, which has 15 million adherents, started with the original Covenant made between God and Abraham around 1900 B.C. The main source for understanding business ethics in Judaism is the Torah. "The legitimacy of business activity and profit, conducted within a framework of religious and ethical norms, is one of the guiding principles for business ethics highlighted in the Jewish tradition. In Judaism, work, including manual work, is held in great esteem, like a sort of human partnership with the divine.
Buddhism, Based On The Teachings Of Siddhartha Gautama, Called "Buddha" Or "The Enlightened One," Began In India Around 560 B.C., And Searches To Find Relief For Human Suffering. In Business, Buddhists Search For The "Right Livelihood" And Are Generally Against Companies That Do Not Care For The Environment Or That Abuse Animals.
Impact Of Confucianism
Confucianism, one of the three traditional religions of China, along with Taoism and Buddhism, is based on the teachings of Confucius during 5th and 6th century B.C. Approximately 5 million people practice the religion. According to Confucius, "A gentleman takes as much trouble to discover what is right as lesser men take to discover what will pay. Profit is acceptable as long as it is acquired with righteousness.
Shinto, which is inextricably tied to the origin and development of Japan. The word derives from the Chinese words shin tao (the ways of gods). Started in 500 B.C., the religion focuses on the worship of the kami, a host of supernatural and mysterious beings (natural deities) that can be known through forms, such as objects of nature, or abstract creative forces just as justice or remarkable people. In business, Shinto emphasizes benefits for the group, which is like a family.