Islamic work ethic in Kuwait

PurposeTo investigation the centrality of islamic work ethic (IWE) in the lives of managers in Kuwait and provide a useful insight into the nature of work environment and organizational culture.Design/methodology/approachThe participants were 762 managers randomly selected from government and private sectors. Among participants 50 per cent were female; 73 per cent were Kuwaitis. Two measures were used: IWE and Loyalty scales. Correlation analysis and one‐way multivariate analysis along with frequency distribution were used to analyze the data.FindingsThe results indicated that managers scored high on IWE and loyalty scales. There was a positive high correlation between the two measures. Demographic and organizational variables had significant influence on managerial orientations. In particular, it was found that expatriates scored higher than Kuwaiti managers on both IWE and loyalty and men scored relatively higher than women on IWE.Practical implicationsBased on findings specific implications related to work environment, strengthening work involvement, and enhancing organizational loyalty were identified. Furthermore, the interplay of tradition and economic prosperity and their impact on IWE were briefly examined.Originality/valueThe paper highlights not only the importance of work ethics in a relatively rich country but also provides a useful insight into the linkage between IWE and loyalty and the changing nature of work in a country that has recently experienced profound social and economic changes.