9 Family Business and Work Spirituality and Religion

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to review the influences of spirituality and religious values within the field of family business studies. We reviewed 26 articles, exploring the exemplary contributions that exist within this emerging research area. We noted outstanding achievements in this sub-field from 2007 to 2020. Then, we discuss the current standing of the research area and provide a foundation for further research. Family businesses are the most common form of business organization throughout the world today (Astrachan & Shanker, 2003; Kellermanns, 2013). In most countries worldwide, family businesses produce over half of the GDP, provide over half of the private sector jobs, and comprise over 70 percent of all business entities (European Family Businesses, 2020). The field of spirituality and religion has experienced tremendous growth in interest among management scholars since the 1980s (Tracey, 2012). Entrepreneurship scholars have long recognized the significance of religious values as drivers of new venture creation (Balog et al., 2014; Dana, 2009). Within the narrower field of family business studies, only recently have scholars noted the close connection between family business and the development of spirituality and religion in the work-place (Neal & Vallejo, 2008). The purpose of this chapter is to review the influence of spirituality and religion within the field of family business studies. Spirituality and religious values contribute to the building of ethical values within family firms (Astrachan et al., 2020). To provide clarity for this review, we offer definitions for the terms: “spirituality,” “religion,” and “family business.” The management literature has offered many definitions of spirituality. Still, the following is succinct: spirituality refers to a relationship with a higher power or being that affects the intentions and actions we take in this world and is individualized (Fry, 2003). In this sense, spirituality transcends the tenets and principles of any one religion; moreover, religion is institutionalized and is associated with specific doctrine, shared beliefs, and agreed-upon practices (Madison & Kellermanns, 2013). The founders of family firms may seek to instill values embedded in their religion (Abdelgawad & Zahra, 2020; Kidwell et al., 2012). In a broader sense, religion may be viewed as a depository of values. The values disseminated by a religion may influence beliefs that affect business practices throughout a society, even among those who may not adhere to the religion (Dana, 2009). A working definition of family firm is a “business governed and managed to shape and pursue the vision of the