Theories of Islamic Marketing

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Theories of Islamic marketing
Article in International Journal of Islamic Marketing and Branding · January 2016

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMB.2016.081322
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Baker Ahmad Alserhan Othman Althawadi

Princess Sumaya University for Technology Qatar University
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Bronwyn P Wood Also Aisha-Wood-Boulanouar

United Arab Emirates University
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Theories of Islamic Marketing
Journal: Int. J. of Islamic Marketing and Branding, 2016 Vol.1, No.4, pp.297 - 304
Dr Baker Ahmad Alserhan

Department of Management and Marketing
College of Business & Economics
P.O. Box 2713. Doha, Qatar
President, International Islamic Marketing Association
Email: alserhan@qu.edu.qa
Dr. Othman Mohammed Althawadi

Department of Management and Marketing
College of Business & Economics
Qatar University
P.O.Box 2713. Doha, Qatar
Email: oalthawadi@qu.edu.qa
Dr Aisha Wood Boulanouar

Department of Marketing
College of Economics and Political Science
Sultan Qaboos University
P.O. Box 241. Al Khodh 123, Oman
E-mail: aboulanouar@squ.edu.om
Introduction
In this paper the authors attempt to present a list of theories from the developing discipline of
Islamic Marketing. The list is neither exhaustive nor a detailed description of all the attempts
toward a body of theory in Islamic marketing. Indeed, it is not the intention of this work to
provide such detail. Rather, this commentary is designed to motivate researchers to begin to
address the subject of Islamic marketing in a manner that will pave the way for a more
comprehensive body of theory of Islamic marketing to be constructed, a subject that remains so
clearly under researched.
Why a Theory in Islamic Marketing?
Throughout the Islamic marketing literature, and in an effort to solidify Islamic marketing’s
legitimacy, some scholars characterize the discipline as one rooted in a Western perspectives.
Other scholars call for research furthering the understanding of marketing in light of Islamic
teaching, values and/or Muslim consumers’ behavior (Terzi, H., Alserhan, B., Altunisk R. 2016;
Anan, 2013; Sandikci, 2011; Wilson and Grant,2013).
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Extrapolating the previous discussion into the Islamic marketing realm, one can see that in this
relatively new field, marketers are confronted with compounded challenges. First, as the field
relates to the theory borrowing situation, more work has to be done toward constructing an
organic marketing theory. Such a marketing theory has to be developed using an Islamic
perspective. Second, the existing frameworks, concepts and theories in marketing need revisiting
to embody an Islamic marketing milieu. The aim of the scholarly research in marketing is to
expand the knowledge of marketing, whereas the focus on a particular business or industry’s
problems is merely market research (Hunt, 1991). Consequently, the focus of such endeavors
should be on the people (customers), not products or brands.
Underscoring the importance of having an organic theory in Islamic marketing is that such a
theory is a must-step toward making the case for directing more of the scholarly efforts in
Islamic marketing toward theory generation. According to Walker (1998), theory is important for
researchers and petitioners for the following reasons: it offers a framework for analysis, it builds
on existing theory to guide the field’s development efficiently, and it proves a set of testable
relationships. Theory generation helps practitioners explain the market situation. The theory-
testing literature (empirical) provides proof of the hypothesized relationships, which deliver a
strong structure of assumptions with a high probability of holding true in the real world.
How to Construct a Theory of Islamic Marketing
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To create a theory of Islamic marketing, the focus should be, first, on the development of Islamic
marketing’s own (organic) constructs. A construct is an entity that “formally defines and
represent or reflect a real world phenomenon. Two examples of existing organic marketing
constructs are customer orientation and brand equity (Kohli, 2011; Peter & Olsen, 1983). These
constructs capture new phenomena that are worthy of being explained in an Islamic marketing
context. Theorizing in the marketing discipline cannot advance without constructs. The literature
of Islamic marketing is heavily influenced by constructs that are borrowed from Islamic studies
(e.g., halal), which are useful and helpful in the theory development process, but developing a
theory in the field requires new (organic) constructs.
The second aspect of the focus should be to link constructs, propositions (hypotheses) are
required to explain, predict, and control. The Islamic marketing-related proposition must be
organic and not proposed in different areas in marketing. The third aspect of the focus should be
to explain the reasoning for the proposition. Arguments are the logical discussion that build and
support the theory propositions (figure 1).
Islamic marketing
theory
Organic Islamic
marketing
propositions
Organic Islamic
marketing
arguments
Organic Islamic
marketing
constructs
Attempts at Theories in Islamic Marketing

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]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
A short, not inclusive, attempt at theory building in Islamic marketing is highlighted below.
Alserhan (2010) argues that Islamic branding (IB) is not the same as conventional branding.
Branding theory holds that traditional branding techniques and methods are culturally compelled
and that, therefore, projecting them onto the new and qualitatively different Islamic market
would be counterproductive, or at best, less than optimal. The author indicates that international
branding experts should not continue to view IB from the same perspective as that of
conventional branding and should not use conventional branding techniques when branding to
Muslims. The application of paradigms derived from Western cultural models and Western
worldviews is not always 100-percent applicable to Muslim consumers or those raised with a
Muslim worldview. Myopic reliance on these paradigms without running them through the
“filter” of Islamic values may produce research that is inconclusive or inaccurate.
Theory development in IB is desirable, but even if conventional theories are used, careful
consideration of how they may need to be adapted or adjusted will yield more extensive and
valuable research results that can be of greater benefit to businesses, scholars, and societies.
Bouzenita and Boulanouar (2016) studied the impact of the Islamic perspective on dominant
education theories. Such theories taught in business schools are assumed universal and are
oftentimes disseminated to (Muslim) students without considering their applicability. An
example is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which has, in its most common form, transcendence at
its pinnacle of thought. From an Islamic perspective, a view of human purpose should,
necessarily, be the foundational consideration before any thought of even food and shelter.
As future managers and businesspeople, students of marketing need to be aware of what they are
taught in conventional theories in terms of how these theories may apply to the Islamic
perspective and how they can/should be applied to Muslim businesses and consumers. These
theories and others mentioned here tie in to how suitable, and beneficial, it is to motivate and
communicate with Muslim consumers through conventional methods of advertising and
promotion.
Boulanouar and Boulanouar (2012) examine the consumption of goods and services. The authors
attempt to create a theory modeling consumption derived directly from the Qur’an, illustrating
how the Qur’an and Sunnah provide clear frameworks both of the Islamic model of
consumption and of alternative ways of consumpting. Their (2013) study suggests that
marketers can consider how best to comprehensively market their offerings to consumers—both
making use of the wide spectrum of marketing tools and techniques and ensuring that their
approaches are halal. Assurances of these approaches will encourage consumers to preferentially
select businesses incorporating these considerations, and by implementing such approaches,
businesses will increasingly find it easy to do so, allowing synergistic benefits across offerings
and markets.
The altruism of Islamic principles theory (Alserhan, Rutter, Boulanouar, Terzi, 2016). The
altruism integral to Islamic principles means that procedures are undertaken because they are
correct, rather than to receive something in return, and a conflict of interest can therefore arise.
An Islamic service provider, for example, does not differentiate between business and religion
(Ibadah); thus, an Islamic service may differ significantly, but not necessarily, from a non-
Islamic service. Primarily, this is because the service is not provided solely for profit, but to fulfil
the collective duty(fardhy kifayah). In other words, while profit as a motive is acceptable, a
service should not be conducted solely for financial gain. Instead, an Islamic worldview sees the
way in which a business is conducted as more important than profit. In a very simple sense, the
end does not justify the means. This theory has widespread implications and affects all areas of
business. For example, should a company actively advertise its Islamic credentials as a way to
promote its business? Would advertising its Islamic nature be anti-Islamic?
[[[[[[[[[[[
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Researchers should empirically test the willingness of Muslim-owned businesses to adopt this
model and identify those that have adopted it. Do contemporary businesses feel this is a model
that can be profitably undertaken? Or do they consider the hegemony of global capitalism a
tsunami that they are unable to withstand utilising Islamic profit and value-distribution models?
Islamic marketing mix theory states that the current 7Ps of marketing are not enough to
successfully engage Muslim consumers (Wilson, 2012). Wilson suggests adding seven more Ps:
Pragmatism, Pertinence, Palliation, Peer‐support, Pedagogy, Persistence and Patience.
Researchers would need to empirically test the current 7Ps to see if they can constitute enough
engagement within the context of the Islamic market. However, in any case testing the relevancy
of the new Ps will contribute to marketing knowledge in general—i.e., not limited to the Islamic
market. The implications of any additions would be far-reaching, to say nothing of how they will
complicate marketers’ work even further. Moreover, if a need for more Ps within the Islamic
market is shown to exist, researchers will be confronted with the daunting task of identifying and
agreeing on those Ps.
The theory of halal as a qualifying condition for Islamic brands has also been raised (Alserhan,
2015). This theory states that there are four types of brands that are commonly described as
Islamic. These are: traditional Islamic brands, inbound Islamic brands, outbound Islamic brands
and true Islamic brands. These classifications are based on country of origin, type of consumer
and shariah-compliance. However, regardless of country of origin, manufacturer and the targeted
customer, a brand cannot be described as Islamic if it is not halal or shariah-compliant in the first
place. Being halal is a qualifying condition.
As per the theory of halal requirements, a product that is produced in a Muslim country or by
Muslims, whether in an Islamic country or not, does not automatically qualify as Islamic. The
rules of Islamic branding apply only to halal or shariah-compliant brands. This means, for
example, that airlines from Muslim countries, although owned, operated and staffed by Muslims,
will not be considered Islamic if they serve alcohol on board. The same holds true for
entertainment, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, fashion and all other goods and services.
Conclusion
The opportunity to contribute to the area of theory building in Islamic Marketing is one which
has the potential to engage and occupy researchers for many years to come. There is a plethora of
important fundamentals in Islamic teaching that can be brought to bear on businesses connected
with Muslims that would enhance, and even purify, both the transactions and the offerings. The
benefits of contributing in this area are manifold for the researcher, and the outputs from such
contribution are manifold for both Muslim businesses and Muslim consumers. From making
contributions to the theory building in Islamic Marketing, this important work can also make a
contribution to conventional marketing theory building, and advance both fields as true social
sciences. The abundance of marketing literature, concepts, frameworks, and theories, in addition
to Islamic studies literature, has laid the groundwork for researchers to work toward an Islamic
marketing theory to enrich the marketing discipline and help explain, predict, and understand,
not only Islamic-related, but global, marketing phenomenon. This paper has looked at just a few
of the contributions to this end that have been made in the short time Islamic Marketing has been
the focus of development as a discipline. However, ideas have been raised here giving direction
and outlining opportunities for the many interested minds wanting to contribute to this exciting,
and very valuable, body of knowledge.
References
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Alserhan, B.A., 2010. On Islamic branding: brands as good deeds. Journal of Islamic
Marketing, 1(2), pp.101-106.
Alserhan, B.A., 2015. The principles of Islamic marketing. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
Alserhan, B.A. Rutter, R. Boulanouar, AW. And Terzi, H. 2016. The Transparency of Islamic
Hotels: Communicating Values and the Views of Non-Muslim Guests. Working Paper.
Bartels, R., 1974. The identity crisis in marketing. The Journal of Marketing, pp.73-76. Bartels,
R., 1951. Can marketing be a science?. Journal of Marketing, 15(3), pp.319-328.
Boulanouar, AW and Boulanouar, Z. 2012. “A theory of goods and services consumption,” 2nd
Global Islamic Marketing Conference (GIMAC2), January, Abu Dhabi.
Boulanouar, A.W. and Boulanouar, Z., 2013. Islamic marketing and conventional marketing
theory: a brief case study of marketing what Muslim women wear. International Journal of
Teaching and Case Studies 4, 4(4), pp.287-295.
Bouzenita, A.I. and Boulanouar, A.W., 2016. Maslow's hierarchy of needs: An Islamic
critique. Intellectual Discourse, 24(1), p.59. Burton, D., 2005. Marketing theory matters. British
Journal of Management,16(1), pp.5-18.
Hunt, S.D., 1991. Modern marketing theory: Critical issues in the philosophy of marketing
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Kadirov, D., 2014. Islamic marketing as macromarketing. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 5(1),
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Kohli, A 2011. What is a theory? SMA Doctoral Consortium conducted at the 2011 Society for
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Murray, J.B., Evers, D.J. and Janda, S., 1995. Marketing, theory borrowing, and critical
reflection. Journal of Macromarketing, 15(2), pp.92-106.
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Saeed, M., Ahmed, Z.U. and Mukhtar, S.M., 2001. International marketing ethics from an
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Islamic Marketing, 2(3), pp.246-258.
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Wilkie, W.L. and Moore, E.S., 2003. Scholarly research in marketing: Exploring the “4 eras” of
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Zinkhan, G.M. and Hirschheim, R., 1992. Truth in marketing theory and research: an alternative
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See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

Theories of Islamic marketing

Article in International Journal of Islamic Marketing and Branding · January 2016

Baker Ahmad Alserhan Othman Althawadi

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Bronwyn P Wood Also Aisha-Wood-Boulanouar

Empowerment and women entrepreneurship in collectivist societies View project

Routledge Handbook of Halal Hospitality and Islamic Tourism View project

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Dr Baker Ahmad Alserhan

Dr. Othman Mohammed Althawadi

Dr Aisha Wood Boulanouar

Attempts at Theories in Islamic Marketing

View publication stats

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