SHARED BUSINESS CULTURE VALUE: AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE ENDOGENOUS MECHANISM OF ISLAMIC FOOD SAFETY IN CHINA

Abstract

This study proposes a conceptual model of a “Shared Business Culture Value” as the endogenous mechanism of Islamic food safety in China. We conducted one-to-one anthropological in-depth interviews with 43 managers and staff, together with a field study, by giving unstructured and structured questionnaires to 398 consumers from ten Islamic restaurants in Yinchuan city, China. Our study reveals that the operation of Islamic food industry is strongly related to the Islamic faith, which advocates “cleanliness and healthiness”. We found this shared life-value is helpful in developing a shared business-culture value and mutual trust between business and customers. Our model is both theoretically relevant and managerially useful. Insights generated from our research are valuable for managing the food industry in China: (1) to build a “mutual benefits and morality” view; (2) to nurture social empathy; and (3) to promote the growth of a shared business culture value.