Journal of Strategic Innovation in Economics and Business
Vol. 1 No. 2 (2025): Journal of Strategic Innovation in Economics and Business

Strategic Innovation in Accounting Ethics: How Religious Spirituality Shapes Competitive Advantage in Developed and Developing Countries

Nur Farizha (Master of Accounting, Tadulako University)
Mutmainnah (Master of Accounting, Tadulako University)
Ernawaty Usman (Master of Accounting, Tadulako University)
Jurana (Master of Accounting, Tadulako University)
Mustamin (Master of Accounting, Tadulako University)



Article Info

Publish Date
25 Nov 2025

Abstract

The global accounting profession is currently navigating a profound crisis of confidence, necessitating a shift from mere regulatory compliance to a holistic integration of ethical values within the strategic core of organizations. This study investigates the intersection of religious spirituality and accounting ethics, exploring how "spiritual capital" serves as a catalyst for sustainable competitive advantage across diverse economic contexts. Employing an integrative literature review methodology, the research synthesizes contemporary scholarship and theoretical frameworks, specifically the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Institutional Theory, to analyze data collected from the Scopus database (2004–2024). The findings reveal a distinct dichotomy in how spirituality shapes strategic outcomes: in developed economies, religious spirituality functions as a mechanism for differentiation and talent retention, mitigating professional alienation in high-pressure environments. In contrast, in developing economies, spirituality acts as a vital informal institution that fills "institutional voids," substituting for weak legal enforcement by providing the normative scaffolding for trust and social legitimacy. Furthermore, the study introduces the concept of "Spiritual Strategic Innovation," identifying Integrated Reporting (IR) as a technical manifestation of spiritual stewardship. This research concludes that spiritual capital is a valuable, rare, and inimitable resource that enables firms to transform accounting into a strategic engine for the common good. The implications suggest a need for a "polycentric" approach to global accounting ethics that respects localized spiritual values to enhance organizational resilience.

Copyrights © 2025






Journal Info

Abbrev

SINEBIS

Publisher

Subject

Economics, Econometrics & Finance

Description

Journal of Strategic Innovation in Economics and Business is a peer-reviewed forum for high-quality, original research that advances our understanding of how strategic innovation drives economic development and business performance. The journal welcomes empirical and theoretical contributions that ...