Faith and Entrepreneurship: Identifying Religiously Shared Entrepreneurial Values and Virtues

Religion teaches entrepreneurship, whether consciously or unconsciously. Over 80% of the world’s population claims a religious affiliation (Pew Research Center, 2018). Religious communities are moral communities, which determine identity and behavior. As such, there are certain positive values and virtues that can become internalized which align with an entrepreneurial mindset. For example, hope and faith are virtues that many have internalized and/or practice habitually as a result of their religious affiliation, which can also contribute to social innovation and societal change through entrepreneurship. This session explores a variety of the world’s largest religious sects, to identify shared values and virtues that align with the entrepreneurial mindset. When people identify themselves as entrepreneurs, they are more likely to find the courage to launch a venture. They can also be more resilient to venture failure and therefore continue launching until they succeed.