Implications of Culture & Ethics on Sustainable Business Practices

Abstract Book of the 10th International Conference on Business, Management and Finance

Year: 2026

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Implications of Culture & Ethics on Sustainable Business Practices

Dr. Randa Diab-Bahman

ABSTRACT:

This study investigates the relationship between empathy and two reputation dimensions – reputation and trust, within an Islamic-dominant Arabian context.. The aim is to assess whether individuals with higher empathy, a proxy for religiosity and ethics, report significantly different outcomes compared to their lower empathy counterparts.
Methods – A questionnaire-based survey was conducted (n= 292) where random sampling was employed to ensure representativeness. Independent sample t-tests were performed to highlight dichotomies between high and low empathy groups, chosen for their suitability in comparing two independent means and to underscore contextual differences.
Individuals with higher empathy levels reported slightly higher mean scores in reputation and trust compared to those with lower empathy levels. These differences were statistically significant, aligning with prior findings on empathy’s positive interpersonal on stakeholders.
Conclusion – The study confirms that empathy significantly influences perceptions of reputation and trust. These findings reinforce that contextual elements should be taken into consideration in order to appeal to local stakeholders.
The research contributes to literature underscoring the importance of contextual relevance and ethical considerations, and is the first to explore the implications of empathy as dichotomic groups on reputational elements within organizational practices. The concept of empathy, a pillar of Islamic values, is considered important well beyond the Arabian context as there exists a plethora of Islamic societies around the globe. Thus, companies can leverage these insights to enhance stakeholder trust and sustainability initiatives, aligning internal practices with broader societal and cultural norms.

Keywords: Cross-Cultural Management, Trust, Reputation, Religiosity, Proxies, Empathy, Islam, i-CSR, CSR, Sustainability