How Does a Christian Entrepreneur’s Faith Influence Business Philosophy and Practice? A Narrative-Based Business Study in Harghita County

This study examines how religious beliefs influence the vision, mission, values, and organizational practices of businesses led by twelve Christian entrepreneurs in Harghita County, Romania. The aim of the qualitative research is to explore how principles derived from Christian faith are reflected in organizational life. Based on semi-structured interviews, the analysis focuses on leadership roles, internal communication, interpersonal relationships, conflict resolution, and compensation practices. Findings reveal that although Christian values are strongly emphasized in the entrepreneurs’ narratives, their institutionalization and structured integration into organizational operations are generally lacking. Management practices are predominantly pragmatic and rarely reflect consciously applied Christian management models. As such, Christian principles primarily manifest in everyday practices of community building, ethical business conduct, and servant leadership. The study contributes to the empirical understanding of the relationship between religion and entrepreneurship in a multi-denominational Central and Eastern European context. Keywords: Christian entrepreneurship, organizational culture, servant leadership, ethical business, Harghita County, qualitative research