Call for Papers: Religion, Spirituality, and Business in the Emerging Market Economy of China

A special issue of International Journal of Chinese Culture and Management

Religion is a crucial part of culture and the importance of its role in the business world cannot be overstated. For example, the Judeo-Christian worldview is the foundation of the American cultural and economic systems. In his famous essay “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism,” Max Weber, a German sociologist and political economist, identified the Christian Protestant ethic as a major factor contributing to the initial emergence of modern rational capitalism in Western Europe and North America.

In China, the past three decades have witnessed not only an emerging market economy but also rigorous growth of religion, a remarkable phenomenon which is often described as “culture fever.” According to Weber, because Chinese religions, especially Confucianism, did not emphasise actively working for wealth, Chinese religions lacked the ability to contribute to the rise of capitalism. Nevertheless, today’s China provides a unique opportunity for studying how and to what extent religions interact with or impact business in the transition from a planned economy to a market economy. This is the primary goal of our special issue. We invite both theoretical and empirical research papers from across disciplines and from across the world. In addition, we welcome high-quality research papers that examine the interplay of Chinese religion/spirituality and business in societies and nations beyond China.

This special issue is open to a wide range of topics that can address the relationship between religion, spirituality, and business. Suitable topics include but are not limited to:

• Religious trends in the emerging market economy of China
• Religious economy, market and competition
• State-religion relations
• Religion and entrepreneurship
• Religious views and business ethics
• Impacts of religion and spirituality on business management
• The business of religious groups/organizations
• The role of religion/spirituality in linking business and civic society (e.g., donations, volunteering, etc.)
• Chinese religion, spirituality and business beyond the Chinese society

Important Date
Submission deadline: 31 May, 2012