Religion is an instrumental component of any society that shapes almost every aspect of human life, including business activities. Its role becomes more magnified and significant in nations classified as developing, such as the Dominican Republic. Faith-based organizations participate in poverty alleviation activities. They advance funds in the form of donations and offer financial literacy programs as part of sustainable poverty eradication. Integrating faith in business helps cultivate trust, respect, and enterprise, which are essential for business growth and sustainability.
Faith inspires desirable morals crucial for enterprise and business development. Churches are instrumental in inculcating a culture of trust, respect, and work in communities. Trust is key in business for two parties to transact. Communities with trust deficit can lag, as was the case with the residents of Southern Italy (Miller, 00:04:50-00:05:00). Dominican, a Christian nation, has witnessed tremendous growth supported by religion. The nation’s service and hospital economy depends primarily on winning the trust of local and international clients. Respect emphasized in the book of Peter is also a fundamental construct of societies that wish to succeed (Newsom & Perkins, 2018, 1 Peter 2:17). It involves respecting other people’s cultures, properties, and space and being more accommodative.
In addition, faith teaches the essentiality of work, which is the foundation of any business. Work is instrumental in wealth creation, as illustrated by the parable of the talents (Newsom & Perkins, 2018, Matthew 25:14–30). A strong work ethic inspired the Ugandan community in the video to rebuild their lives after a disruption ((Miller, 00:08:20-00:11:30).). Every day Dominicans go about their businesses to make a living and create wealth because they believe in hard work. Other than working for self, individuals should immerse themselves in serving others, especially in caring for the sick and the poor in a manner that creates sustainability through faith-based organizations. The move will inspire hope and promote the sustainability of solutions.
In conclusion, faith can be integrated into business activities in several ways. Faith is key to developing and fostering trust, which is vital in business transactions. Trade can only happen where trust is present. Besides, faith promotes respect among individuals and teaches the essentiality of hard work. It also emphasizes the art of giving to uplift the less fortunate in society. Individuals often give from the frameworks of faith-based organizations to inspire hope and allow the oppressed to rebuild their lives.
References
Brettler, M., Newsom, C., & Perkins, P. (Eds.). (2018). The New Oxford annotated bible with apocrypha (5th Ed.). Oxford University Press.
Miller, M. (Director). Poverty Cure Lesson 6 [Film]. Web.