RELIGION AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Religion and business. Retrieved May 13, 2011. From: http://www.anneofcarversville.com/world/21st-century-politics-religion-rules.html

1. How can we create an ethical relationship between religion and business so that they may cooperate towards a more sustainable and respectful development of life?

I belief that the best way to create an ethical relationship between religion and business is by teaching both sides that the other one has their own rules, norms, values and that they must be respected. This would be the first step to guarantee a sustainable and respectful development of life.

2. Can you imagine a world without religion where everyone would be trying to get immediate satisfaction to their individual needs?

A world without religion might bring even more conflict than we have now, since religion influences different aspects of a person’s life like the way of spending the money, the kind of food they are able to eat or their main purpose of life. So without all of this people might get involve in a fight of personal interests.

What makes world interesting is its diversity, but without religion the learning of other cultures would not be interesting and amusing as if the religion is part of it.

3. Religion can create networks of trust and familiarity that facilitates economic transactions. Can you name other positive aspects of this relationship?
Fafchamps’ (2003) recent study on Africa finds that the sharing of religious cultures still enhances trust and enables trade.

Other positive aspects that religion often promotes are honesty, diligence and compromise which are "economically friendly" behaviors that enable people to engage in mutually beneficial specialization and exchange.

Also people who share a certain religious culture may be able to overcome some informational and reputational barriers to international exchange, thereby expanding trade

It’s important to mention that religion's positive and negative cultural influences on economic activity in general and on international trade in particular are likely to differ from one religion to another since each religion has its unique set of incentives and rules of behavior.

Religion-World. Retrieved May 13, 2011. From: http://almadormida.blogspot.com/2008/10/la-religin-y-yo.html

References:

- Joshua J. Lewer, Hendrik van den Berg. (October 2007). Religion and International Trade: Does The Sharing of a Religious Culture Facilitate The Formation of Trade Networks?. Retrieved May 13, 2011. From: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0254/is_4_66/ai_n24246351/pg_9/?tag=mantle_skin;content

- Joshua J. Lewer and Hendrik Van den Berg. (May 2008). The Impact Of Religion On International Trade. Retrieved May 13, 2011. From: http://www.afrik-news.com/article13606.html