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Business As Ministry In The Us Rural Midwest For The Common Good, Eric Zhong-Ming Ma

Business as Mission Theses and Dissertations

The rural Midwest region of the United States serves as a significant locus for American history, culture, and faith, in addition to being renowned as the nation’s primary agricultural hub for maize and soybeans production. Nevertheless, the prevailing body of literature pertaining to the integration of business and Christian ministry for the common good predominantly represented the viewpoints of individuals engaged in international missions or those involved in urban settings regarding the underlying purposes of business. Limited knowledge existed regarding the practices and perceptions of business as ministry stakeholders in the rural Midwestern United States concerning the concept of the …

Exploring The Impacts Of Funding Models On Business As Mission Organizations In Asia: A Multiple-Case Study, Jeremiah Joel Finch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In a 2014 research study, Dr. Steve Rundle examined the impacts of business-funded versus donor-funded business as mission (BAM) organizations. The research study answers Dr. Rundle’s call for further research on funding models, and the findings from the study help to fill in gaps in the social-entrepreneurship (SE) and BAM literature. BAM organizations, like other SE-oriented organizations, seek to achieve success in multiple bottom lines. The qualitative, multiple-case study utilized a theoretical replication design to explore differences between donor-funded and business-funded BAM organizations in Asia. Specifically, the research study explored principles related to BAM funding methodology’s impact on economic outcomes …

Marketplace Summer 2023, Southern Adventist University

MarketPlace

The Summer 2023 issue of MarketPlace features information on the future of the School of Business and the university endowment. The issue features an article about Bob Jimenez, Cox Enterprises' senior vice president for corporate affairs.

Legitimate Business As Mission Ventures And Effective Witness, Summer Rogers

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis discusses the practice of missionaries creating cover businesses solely for visa purposes, which brings a dishonest presence and harms the ministry. In contrast, Business as Mission (BAM) is a strategic business model to bring the gospel overseas through social, economic, and spiritual impact. Through a literature review, best practices for legitimate BAM ventures are explored based on studies done by BAM professionals and experts. Research shows that Christian businesspeople can establish an authentic image and credible witness through BAM businesses that are integrated into the local community, generate a profit, and incorporate biblical principles into business operations. BAM …

Sacred Business: Outlining Business As Mission For The Fulfillment Of The Great Commission, Eli Jackson

Senior Honors Theses

Business as Mission (BAM) is the operation of a for-profit business located in a cross-cultural setting and aimed toward the fulfillment of the great commission. This definition reveals four key success factors for BAM: support, financial and otherwise, for both the business and the missionaries; the ability to gain access to cross-cultural settings; the opportunity to advance the gospel; and the requirement of managing both missional and business goals. Examining each of these areas, along with the historical effectiveness of BAM, reveals that BAM is an efficient and effective missional strategy, which should be used to see the Great Commission …

The Servicemaster Company As A Model For Bam Startups, Larry W. Sharp

Pollard Research Fellowship Papers

A template/typology for Business as Mission startups using the redemptive methodologies of ServiceMaster, which focused on the people-first development of the employee, with a focus on areas of the world which restrict free speech.

Faith-Based Social Entrepreneurial Orientation: A Case Study Of Evangelicals, Richard Clark

Business as Mission Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study is the experiences of eight individual evangelical social entrepreneurs within their congregations. What type of legitimacy do they seek and/or receive for? Do they sense any pressure to conform/motivations to act relative to their congregation’s values/identity? Do these relationships encourage or discourage their entrepreneurial orientation/intensity and in what ways?

The primary research question is “how does embeddedness in an evangelical faith community affect the experiences and expression of social entrepreneurial orientation and intensity for evangelical faith-based social entrepreneurs, if at all?”

The study identifies three types of congregations in terms of their relationship to the …

Revisiting The Purpose Of Business, Joseph Bamber, Andy Borchers

Faculty Publications

While it is easy to see the ways that business has gone global today, it is less easy to see how scriptural ideas for holistic business are currently put in practice. We have outlined themes related to business found in Scripture and used them to create a holistic scorecard for businesses. We also compare recent views on the purpose of business and some businesses that follow these models using the scorecard. We include the classic 1970 essay by Milton Friedman (“The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase Its Profits”) and continue through John Elkington (Cannibals with Forks), Mackey & …

Business Education: How Culture And Leadership Impact Organizational Outcomes, Joyce Lemay, Chris Kaiser

Business Faculty Publications

Leadership and organizational culture influence the outcomes of any business. Many companies look at various information to measure results but may not know how to manage the information or interpret it in a way to make ethical and effective decisions. Many organizational cultures are broken and leadership needs to better understand how culture impacts the required outcomes. This article reviews the demands of a broken culture and creative ways to impact culture to ensure effective organizational outcomes. In times of crisis, like COVID-19, organizational culture can direct, redirect, or worsen the desired outcomes. The ability to analyze, understand and positively …

Justice And Righteousness For Creation, Renita Reed-Thomson

Business as Mission Theses and Dissertations

A hymn entitled “This Is My Father’s World,” written by Maltbie Davenport Babcock around the year 1901, includes the words: “This Is My Father’s World, O let me ne’er forget…” Unfortunately, many Christians seem to have forgotten that this world belongs to their Heavenly Father. Justice for the poor and the environment has been neglected as Christians pursue economic and material gain, as well as the church’s pursuit of converts over disciples. That the Protestant Evangelical Church may have forgotten the creation may be a surprising point for some given that it has a reputation for caring for the poor …

Business Stakeholder Trends As Kingdom Opportunities In A Secularizing World, Timothy Veach

Faculty Publications - College of Business

“Business as mission” (BAM) has emerged as a classification of business-driven holistic mission applying a Christ-centered, multiple-bottom-line model. Secular developments in business activity often respond to stakeholder trends. Literature in Christian ministry, however, designates the secularizing age as a challenge to evangelical missions. This paper identifies needs in holistic missions in which BAM activity can take advantage of business stakeholder trends to better serve the purposes of mission activity, creating Kingdom opportunities.

Honoring God And Developing People: Servicemaster, Bill Pollard And The Heart Of The Corporation, Darrell Cosden

Pollard Research Fellowship Papers

This study examines the model of faith-business integration developed at ServiceMaster, and relatedly Bill Pollard’s role in developing and implementing it. My argument is that ServiceMaster’s celebrated 4 corporate goals functioned both as a mission statement defining the core of the business, but at the same time also as “philosophy of Christian ministry” infusing their core business with the Christian faith. As used, the 4 goals functioned as a faith-business integration model in its own right, deserving a place alongside other models and thereby deserving reflective analysis and evaluation. To that end, this study examines how the model came to …

The Evolution Of A Christian Business School's Mission--Bringing "Business As Mission" To A Business School's Mission, Chuck Capps, Rob Touchstone, Ray Eldridge, Leanne Smith, Andy Borchers

Faculty Publications

Colleges of business typically seek accreditation to achieve legitimacy and raise their reputations. Major business school accreditors (AACSB, ACBSP, and IACBE) all base their accreditation standards on college-created mission statements. This paper describes how one Christian business school developed a unique mission statement in response to both accreditation standards and as a spiritual transformation catalyst. This statement calls for the college to “develop business leaders who embrace the values and virtues of Jesus,” and it is now being inculcated through curricular and co-curricular activities. This paper details how three programs in particular: Business as Mission, Servant Leadership, and Service Learning—manifest …

Faith-Based Social Entrepreneurship: The Integration Of Faith And Business For Sustainable Social Impact, Christine Beech

Business as Mission Theses and Dissertations

Faith-based nonprofit organizations face myriad challenges in securing a sufficient donation base within a restricted pool of donors. This funding challenge often limits their ability to conduct their mission. To offset this challenge and model self-sufficiency, many faith-based organizations are looking to evolve into hybrid platforms that operate as faith-based social entrepreneurial ventures and manage to a triple bottom line of social good, financial impact, and spiritual mission. Yet even with the best of intentions, successfully merging a for-profit business model into a preexisting nonprofit organization often fails, even before the faith-factor is in play. This study of social entrepreneurship …

The Importance Of Starting A For-Profit Business As Mission To Advance God’S Kingdom, Hannah M. Mitchell

Senior Honors Theses

All Christians have a duty to advance the Kingdom of God according to Matthew 28:16-20, which tells Christians to, “go and make disciples of all nations” (New International Version). The gospel has not yet reached many areas of the world that Christians could influence if they started a Business as Mission (BAM). A BAM start-up would provide jobs to the surrounding communities and aid in improving the economy. Assisting others by providing jobs and meeting their physical, spiritual, social, and economic needs will empower individuals and allow communities to flourish. Even non-Christians find helping others important, which is seen through …

Business As Ministry Impacts Poverty, Ashley E. Tilghman

Senior Honors Theses

Businesses that are operated by Christian workers can make a difference in ministering to poverty-stricken communities around the world. Poverty is a major social problem that has existed for all of history and will continue to affect the lives of millions in the future. A number of business initiatives such as social business, macro-government initiatives, and transformational development have experienced success in helping reduce the problem. It is imperative to approach the issue of poverty recognizing the spiritual component along with the physical. The ministry of Jesus Christ serves as an example for meeting the needs of the impoverished, and …

Business As Mission And Mission As Business: Case Studies Of Financially Sustainable Christian Mission Ventures With A Focus On Anglican Dioceses In East Africa, Dennis Obura Tongoi

Business as Mission Theses and Dissertations

Anglican dioceses established by The Church Mission Society and other Western-founded Christian denominations in East Africa were envisaged to grow and become self-governing, self-propagating and self-supporting. The first two goals (to be self-governing and self-propagating) have more or less been achieved. The third goal (the pursuit of self-support) is at a critical stage, especially considering that resources, in terms of funding and personnel, are in decline. This research sought to document the factors that contribute to, or hinder, the role that lay people (business people in particular) can play in sustaining the ministry and mission of Anglican dioceses. The research …

Business As Missions: Applying Business As Missions To The Hospitality Industry, Leah J. Reist

Senior Honors Theses

Business is a vehicle highly useful for achieving specific missions for the kingdom of God that could not otherwise be accomplished. A Business as Missions (BAM) organization is one structure of business that focuses intently on accomplishing the mission of reaching others for the kingdom of God. BAMs can be utilized in virtually any industry; however, the following thesis focuses on the unique opportunities that exist within the hospitality industry. These unique opportunities are present because of its relational components and consumer demands for community and social interaction. A hostel is one specific form of a hospitality company that has …

An Integrative Study Of Doxological Metanarrative, Mission, Motivation And Mechanism, João Mordomo

Business as Mission Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation engages in an integrative study of the doxological metanarrative of Scripture in relation to mission, motivation and mechanism, with special attention given to the business as mission (BAM) mechanism in Brazil. Two research techniques were utilized: 1) archival research in order to define and describe both the doxological components (metanarrative, mission and motivation) and the BAM mechanism; and 2) case study method in order to examine the motivations that drive successful Brazilian Christian entrepreneurs to start Kingdom companies.

The researcher identified three key metanarrative frameworks for understanding Scripture and redemptive history: the Nature of God (NOG), the Kingdom …

When Business Is The Mission: A Study Of Faith-Based Social Business In Sub-Saharan Africa, Brian W. Albright

Business as Mission Theses and Dissertations

There is an extraordinary group of people, motivated by their Christian faith, starting businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa because they believe that business plays a key role in alleviating poverty. These faith-based social business (FSB) leaders face situations similar to those faced by leaders in other academic and practitioner fields including business as mission, social entrepreneurship, international business, and international development, given their pursuit of multiple-bottom lines, cross-cultural engagement in undeveloped nations, and a focus on integration of faith. The complexities of their contexts create opportunities and challenges in which their strategies and operations require further investigation and analysis.

This case …

Corporation With Eight Strategic Business Units, Daniel R. Sterkenburg

Business Administration Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Chemical And Anode Manufacturing Company, Daniel R. Sterkenburg

Business Administration Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Glory Tent, Now Closed, Daniel R. Sterkenburg

Business Administration Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Electronics Manufacturing, Now Bankrupted, Daniel R. Sterkenburg

Business Administration Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Business As Mission In And From China: Bam Think Tank China Regional Group Report, Tony Yeung, Linda Ching, Michael Lam, James Chak, Sara S., Daniel R. Sterkenburg

2014 Author Recognition Bibliography

No abstract provided.

The Father's Business Person, The Shift To Tentmaking Missions Strategy, Chris White

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the important place that tentmaking holds or should hold in missions strategy. It is the belief of the author (supported by almost 20 years of ministry experience overseas) that visas and money are often barriers to ministry effectiveness. This paper would like to provide a solution (i.e. tentmaking) to these common tensions that most missionaries encounter. The value of the topic is very personal to the author's ministry: first because I am currently serving on the mission field (needing a visa and money), and second because of the potential tentmaking holds for …

Exploring The Background And Motivations Of Social Entrepreneurs, Timothy A. Lucas

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

No abstract provided.

Biztech Winter 2012, Southern Adventist University

BizTech – School of Business Newsletter

The winter 2012 edition of BizTech features articles on the business society, visiting accounting firms, and the marketing club's trip to New York.

An Inductive Study On How Business As Mission Entrepreneurs Decide To Start Businesses, Michael J. Bates

Business as Mission Theses and Dissertations

Anecdotal evidence suggests that Businesses as Mission (BAM) entrepreneurs seem to have characteristics of both for-profit and social entrepreneurs. For-profit entrepreneurship literature has transitioned from focusing on who the entrepreneur is, to what they do as a function of their cognitive processes. Social entrepreneurship research areas have trended toward the formation of personality and motives of the socially-minded entrepreneur. Regardless of type, each entrepreneur must recognize opportunity, evaluate it, and then decide to take action or not. There were few peer-reviewed articles in the literature with regard to the study of BAM organizations or the entrepreneurs that start them. Since …

An Inductive Study On How Business As Mission Entrepreneurs Decide To Start Businesses, Michael J. Bates

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

No abstract provided.