National philosophy and religion on corporate social responsibility/public relations initiatives: a case study of Islamic influence in Brunei business system

Abstract

National philosophy and religion can have a strong influence on a country’s business system, sociocultural environment, and corporate decisions. Islamic principles impose obligations on businesses and organizations operating in nations where Muslims predominate. This study uses Brunei as a case study to investigate how the national ideology of Brunei, Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB), and Islam influence the kinds of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives that companies take on and how they disclose CSR to the public. Content analysis of CSR-related information and documents available on corporate websites was used by this study and findings revealed that Islam and MIB have strong influences on CSR and public relations (PR) practices geared toward enhancing human capability and improving the socioeconomic welfare of communities to meet the national development goals. Islamic values have an impact on corporate culture, and as employees’ religious beliefs are integrated into the workplace, the business model usually aligns with the concept of CSR. In Brunei, organizations view CSR/PR as a strategic business, societal, and religious endeavor. Emphases are placed on building human capacity and wellbeing, reducing environmental issues, and engaging in altruistic initiatives. By exploring how national philosophy and religion influence a country’s business system and corporations’ CSR/PR practices, this study contributes to the body of knowledge on these study areas.