How Religion Has an Impact on Marketing - Essay Example

HOW RELIGION HAS AN IMPACT ON MARKETING 0 Introduction The Islamic religion encourages commerce and trade and commerceas it is recommended in the Quran. In Quran (2:275), it states that ‘God has made business lawful for you’. Furthermore, the prophet of the Islam, Prophet Mohammed was involved in commerce and he is known for his integrity in business and was referred as the most trustworthy businessman. He noted that ‘Nine tenths of sustenance is in commerce’. The Islamic religion is the fastest growing in the world with about 21.01 percent of the global population. Despite the distance among the Muslims in the world, they share strong values and a faith that identifies them. Due to the increase in the population of the Islam, their behavior has been noted to influence how things are done as their immense numbers is a reflection of real economic figures. It is impressive to note that marketing in commerce is very important to Muslims as they inhabit most of the richest countries in the world. The practice of business in Muslim religion has to be compliant with the Quran and the Muslim law. For instance, during advertisements, the female image used represents a typical Muslim woman with a head scarf as such trends are more identifiable with the conservative Muslim trends. This paper seeks to provide insights into the impacts of marketing on Islamic culture by illuminating on the intersection of business conduct and Islamic teachings. 2.0 Historical motivation regarding influence of Islam religion on marketing There are various reasons that has motived the growth of commerce in Islamic religion thereby making it one of the most important global economy. First, the increased Muslim population forming a fifth of the world’s population has an impact on the behaviors an attitudes of Muslim adherents. Moreover, during the 2008-2009 financial crises, most of the world’s economies were shattered. This allowed traders practicing Islamic finance to benefit heavily from the gains at that time thereby boosting their prosperity. Muslim traders were also boosted by the oil boom and the fact that the Muslims were increasingly becoming the most affluent consumers globally thereby promoting Muslim trade. Other reason include the improvement in the level foreign investment, the efforts towards the formation of a Muslim trading bloc, globalization and the efforts put forward in enhancing Islamization of countries with majority of their population being Muslim. Such efforts include defining Muslim codes to be followed in all conducts of life, this will impact of commerce too (Saeed et al. 2001). 3.0 Fundamental beliefs/customs/celebration of Islam religion in respect to business Islamic law, Shariah Sharia is the Islamic law that is responsible for governing the Muslims conduct. Sharia helps the Muslims to do right and respect the rights of others. There are five pillars of Muslim law; affirmation of faith that there is no divinity as powerful as Allah; five daily prayers; fasting during the holy month of Ramadan; making the pilgrimage to Makkah and contributing to charity. As such, all activities done Muslims such as education, manufacturing, promoting, selling, buying, socializing, drinking, and eating among others re guided by the Muslim law. As such, companies seeking to market their products to Muslims people or undertake to conduct business with the Muslim adherents should understand the underlying factors that influence the consumption behavior in order to align their products with the requirement of the Islamic religion. The activities of the Muslims provide direct implications on the requirements of companies in their planning in Muslim marketplace as there are specifications of what to do and what not to do. Islamic values in business There are principles that control and guide the marketing practices in a Muslim marketplace. This is because the Muslims appreciate that the material goods they possess, earning and wealth are God’s possession. Such principles include; 1. Prohibition of engaging in any bribery activities. 2. Prohibition of cheating and fraud in business. 3. Prohibition of discrimination. 4. Engagement in greater social responsibility. 5. Prohibition of interest 6. Prohibition of certain earnings such as gambling, sale of alcohol, or lotteries. 7. Prohibition of hoarding of goods. 8. Prohibition of waste and extravagance. 9. Payment of Zakat to those in need- alms. 10. Payment of charity by practicing the act of giving. 11. Ensuring cleanliness. 4.0 Marketing mix from an Islamic perspective Marketing mix comprise of five Ps, which include pricing, place, promotion, product, and people. Islamic marketing ethics is based on the principles of equity and justice (Saeed, Ahmad and Mukhtar, 176). Marketing uses the 5Ps as a strategy of satisfying the customers in a particular target market, when this marketing tactics are put in place they are supposed to satisfy customer needs. The following is part will discuss the marketing mix in an Islamic perspective. a) Product/production process In regard to Islamic perspective, morals are incorporated within the production decision making process in relation to development of a product, which are guided by Islamic business ethics (al-Misri, 54). Islamic religion dictates that the product should not be unlawful or cause dullness of mind. It also advocates that the product should backed by an asset, and finally the product should be deliverable. All this analysis indicate that as far as marketing is concerned with regard to product, it should be based on a societal and welfare approach rather than marketing the product on decision based on profit maximization. b) Pricing of product According to Islamic religion, pricing a commodity with an aim of exploiting customers is strictly prohibited. The religion doesn’t also advocate of changing price of a commodity or service without changing the quantity or quality of the product, since it is viewed as cheating the easy-going consumer for illegal gain (Ibn Taymiyah, 78). The laws of demand and supply are not prohibited as techniques of pricing, this is because they are natural mechanism of price modification, and healthy competition is also encouraged (al-Qur’an, 83:26). c) Product promotion techniques Islam doesn’t advocate nor encourage any deceptive promotional behavior. Product promotion methods such as advertisement, public relation, and publicity can take various forms, such as testimonies from customers. Islamic marketing ethics prohibits the marketer from giving and labeling his/her products with qualities that it doesn’t possess. Any false impression given for the purpose of promoting or selling a products is strictly prohibited within Islamic marketing ethical frame work. d) Place Marketing decision making process is greatly influenced by place; distribution channel of a product. Information such as people, organization and equipment is gathered in the distribution channel. In matters relating to distribution any company that aims to do so from an Islamic perspective should follow the following guidelines: i. Availability of the product should not be manipulated ii. Traders should not use coercion in the marketing channel iii. Undue influence should not be exerted over the re-sellers choice to handle a product Practices such as packing a product inappropriately and transporting dangerous products through public highways is prohibited, and from an Islamic perspective it is unforgivable and is paramount to unjust marketing practices. e) People In marketing mix people refer to employees that work in a particular business, this are the persons who are capable of providing excellent customer service to the customers. People in the business have a great influence to the customers. According to Islam the customers should be left to be free and independent in judgment. The customer has the right to be issued with any marketing information that he deems necessary from the marketer. Islamic principles classifies behaviors that are unethical in marketing to include sexual appeal, fear appeal, concealed advertising and pseudo-scientific claims. Such behaviors can be said to be coercive in nature, and thus unethical from Islamic perspective that dictates customers should be protected from any means of coercion. 5.0 Marketing strategy: Islamic religion and consumer behavior Consumer behavior is very critical in any marketing strategy since it enhances any marketing campaign. Consumer behavior should be studied from aspects such as religion, since it will be easy to influence potential and existing customers if it is done by incorporating the religion philosophies of that target group. The concept of religion has been branded by many scholars as a multi-faceted construct that is capable to influence lifestyle, beliefs, and identity of individuals (Cosgel and Minkler, 334). Religion is a factor that greatly influences consumption behavior, which in this case Islam as a religion influences the manner that Muslims’ consumption behavior. The two major facets that are linked with consumer behavior are religious commitment and religious affiliation. Religious affiliation is the devotion of an individual to a particular religious group (Essoo and Dibb, 690). Consumer behavior will differ from various from of religions, Christians and Muslims have a different consumer behavior due to their difference in religious philosophy. Muslim have been referred to be consumer who are more practical and innovative (Essoo and Dibb, 690). Motivations and behavioral intentions are greatly influence by religious commitment. Islam is a religious that can be described to a have great impacts to its members in terms of religious commitment. Individuals with less religious commitment are likely to be less consistent in their religious commitment, and their religious behaviors are likely to be influenced by externalities. There is a strong religious commitment in Islamic religion, which makes it difficult for any externality to influence them. It can therefore be deduced that marketing in an Islamic region will not influence the Muslim’s behavior if it doesn’t follow the principles of Islamic religion. 6.0 Conclusion It is imperative to note that the practice of business in Islamic religion is different from most of the commercial undertakings of the contemporary commerce. Commerce is required to be have a balance between humanitarian and commercialism where traders, whether individuals or organizations concentrate not only on profits but also in social responsibility. This approach of doing business is very impactful in presenting solution to many business challenges such as environmental destruction, irresponsible corporate governance, customer exploitation, corruption and profiteering. In the quest of offering business solutions, the Islam religion requires the traders to promote positive business attributes such as basic consumer principle that allows consumers to return goods once purchased, minimum wage for employees, cooperation, business partnership, high quality service to customers, reasonable profit, business partnership, fair competition, and honest conduct (Yussoff, 2002). As such, the concept of ethics in marketing is much popularized in order to ensure traders market their businesses in the recommended ways. Work Cited al-Misri, A.N. The Reminiscences of the Traveler: A Classical Manual of Islamic Sacred Law, Trans. by Noah Ha Mim Keller, Abu Dhabi: Modern Printing Press. 1991. Print. al-Quran –English translation and commentary (The Meaning of the Glorious Qur’an) rendered by Abdullah Yusuf Ali (1983), Maryland(USA): Amana Corporation Cosgel, M. and Minkler, L. “Rationality, integrity, and religious behavior”, Journal of Socio-Economics, Vol. 33 No. 3, pp. 329-41.2004. Print. Essoo, N. and Dibb, S. “Religious influences on shopping behaviour: an exploratory study”, Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. 20 No. 7, pp. 683-712. 2004. Print. Ibn Taymiyah. Public Duties in Islam: The Institution of the Hisbah, translated by Muhtar Holland, The Islamic Foundation, Leicestershire. 1982. Print. Saeed, M., Ahmad, Z.U. and Mukhtar, S.M. “International Marketing Ethics from an Islamic Perspectives: A Value Maximization Approach”, Journal of Business Ethics, 32: 127-142; Salesperson Selling Behaviors on Customer Satisfaction with Products.” Journal of Retailing, 73(2): 171-183.2001. Print. Yusoff, N. Islam and Business. Selangor, Malaysia: Pelanduk. 2002. Print. 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