Abstract

The main aim of this study is to test whether work ethic can be explained by religious orientation, which is defined as a generalized disposition to use particular means to attain particular ends in living (Pargament, 1992). The relation between religious orientation and work ethic is predicted to be established through locus of control, which is the tendency to attribute events in life either to external factors or to own actions. Understanding how attitudes toward religion and locus of control influence work ethic in a predominantly Muslim country, is of great importance in assessing the validity of concepts developed in the Western management circles. The analyses show that work ethic could be explained by two reliable dimensions namely; responsibility and equality. As predicted, self-control and societal religiousness were able to explain work ethic. Also, self-control was found to mediate the relation between extrinsic religious orientation and both of the equality and responsibility dimensions of work ethic. Gender differences and cultural implications of the results are discussed and directions for future research are suggested.