The history of an Islamic entrepreneurship: achieving exporting-network leadership through religious legitimacy

Abstract

Brazil is currently one of the top global exporters of Halal poultry to the Middle Eastern Islamic markets. This study focuses on the story of an Islamic certifier, since his initial efforts to his current successful position in the Brazilian export network of Halal poultry. We bring a specific theoretical review considering the separation of the Islamic entrepreneurship conducted by Muslims and the ones oriented to Muslims. A theoretical model with variables that characterise the Islamic entrepreneurship construct was also elaborated. Historical narratives from certifier's founder and his son (his successor) along with organisational institutional documents, the Islamic entrepreneurship construct was empirically validated and complemented by additional variables identified on field research. Afterwards, five great periods of certifier's evolution could be identified: prelude; establishment of guidelines; development; legacy heritage; apex. Each temporal era signs that its respective internationalisation and evolution cycle processes require specific Islamic entrepreneurship variables.