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Implications of Religion, Culture, and Legislation for Gender Equality at Work: Qualitative Insights from Jordan

Author

Listed:
  • Tamer Koburtay

    (Petra University)

  • Jawad Syed

    (Lahore University of Management Sciences)

  • Radi Haloub

    (University of Huddersfield)

Abstract

With a view to consolidating the existing theory development and stimulating new conceptual thinking, this paper explores the implications of culture, religion (Islam), and the legal framework on women’s employment and their limited advancement in the hospitality industry, one of the important elements of the economy in Jordan. A related aim is to contrast the egalitarian Islamic approach to gender equality with gender discriminatory tribal traditions that restrict women’s employment and progression. Guided by religion, culture, and gender literature, this study uses a qualitative, content-based analysis. Drawing on open-ended questionnaires distributed to a diverse workforce across four tourist locations in Jordan, the results portray how tribalism and Bedouin customs embedded in the participants’ interpretation and practices of their religion (along with the existing legal framework) are maintaining gender gaps in employment and positions of power. The results also reveal that despite the Islamic guidelines towards fairness and justice (haqq and adl) in employment, the tribal and Bedouin traditions restrict women’s employment through patriarchal interpretations of Islam. Thus, the salient novelty and significance of this study were achieved through contributing to the theory development of the interrelations between religion, culture, and gender equality.

Suggested Citation

  • Tamer Koburtay & Jawad Syed & Radi Haloub, 2020. "Implications of Religion, Culture, and Legislation for Gender Equality at Work: Qualitative Insights from Jordan," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 164(3), pages 421-436, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:164:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-018-4036-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-018-4036-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. World Bank, 2013. "Jordan Country Gender Assessment : Economic Participation, Agency and Access to Justice in Jordan," World Bank Publications - Reports 16706, The World Bank Group.
    2. Xingqiang Du, 2016. "Does Confucianism Reduce Board Gender Diversity? Firm-Level Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 136(2), pages 399-436, June.
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    5. Hayfaa Tlaiss, 2015. "How Islamic Business Ethics Impact Women Entrepreneurs: Insights from Four Arab Middle Eastern Countries," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 129(4), pages 859-877, July.
    6. Dougherty, Christopher., 2010. "A comparison of public and private sector earnings in Jordan," ILO Working Papers 994576803402676, International Labour Organization.
    7. Syed, Jawad & Van Buren, Harry J., 2014. "Global Business Norms and Islamic Views of Women’s Employment," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 24(2), pages 251-276, April.
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    Cited by:

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    2. IWASAKI, Ichiro & MA, Xinxin & MIZOBATA, Satoshi, 2024. "Board Gender Diversity in China and Eastern Europe," CEI Working Paper Series 2023-09, Center for Economic Institutions, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    3. Amal Abdellatif, 2021. "Marginalized to double marginalized: My mutational intersectionality between the East and the West," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(S1), pages 58-65, January.
    4. Maryam Aldossari & Thomas Calvard, 2022. "The Politics and Ethics of Resistance, Feminism and Gender Equality in Saudi Arabian Organizations," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 181(4), pages 873-890, December.

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