Abstract

The essays in this collection were developed by scholars expert in their own religious traditions, and were written to explain how those traditions intersect with the practices of business. While there have been other collections that attempt to relate faith to business, none has posed a common set of questions to contributors representing such a broad set of religious traditions. These include the Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim traditions.These essays helpfully present the particular sources and thought patterns of each religious tradition, and illuminate their respective values, belief structures and patterns of moral reasoning. Topics covered include: product safety and liability, downsizing and closures; the charging or receiving of interest; privacy in the workplace; contingent workers; bribery; and women in the workplace. This collection of essays will help deepen the bonds of mutual respect within increasingly diverse religious traditions in business organizations.The collection will serve a variety of audiences. For academic researchers the essays offer a set of historical claims and contemporary interpretations to use in formulating hypotheses about the ways believers interpret their involvement in business. For business practitioners the essays open up windows into the faith-worlds inhabited by those who work around them. And for those struggling to connect their work lives with their spiritual lives, these essays will offer resonances with organized religion to help them cope with the pressures of the business world.