Ethics of customer treatment among woman small business owners who follow Kuan Im in Thailand

Abstract

This pilot research looks at how spirituality impacts the treatment of customers by woman small business owner in Thailand. Hill and Pargament (2003) say religion is a fixed system of ideas – institutional. Spirituality is the personal side of religious experience. Kuan Im bodhisattva is from Mahayana Buddhism, brought to Thailand by Thai-Chinese. In one sense, followers are both spiritual and religious. However, many turn to Kuan Im because they are disillusioned with institutional religion. Our respondents have deep faith in Kuan Im, but they may not necessarily follow institutional Theravada Buddhism in Thailand.