The influence of Islam on management practices. An exploratory study of three halal food chains in France

Abstract

Few studies have examined the link between religion and management practices in French companies run by Muslim bosses in France. Our qualitative study explores the extent to which Islam influences the HRM and marketing practices of three “halal” food outlets located in Strasbourg. Based on the method of comprehensive life stories (Sanséau 2005), the in-depth interviews conducted with the managers of the three SMEs were complemented by an in situ observation in order to better understand the phenomenon under study. The observation is nuanced. The first results of this exploratory study highlight the imprint of religious culture, in the sense of Banon (2006), on the management style of the bosses and on the recruitment of personnel, particularly in terms of gender. While religion has an influence on the marketing positioning of certain products, particularly in the butchery section, the strategy of these brands is not reduced, strictly speaking, to ethnic marketing of a religious and community nature. The targeting of customers is not limited exclusively to North African Muslim buyers; CSR actions of cultural integration reflect the respect of secular principles and social openness deployed within the companies studied.