Integrating professional and religious identities: implications for career success and workplace dynamics in China

This study explores how Chinese Buddhist business owners navigate the intersection of their professional and religious identities and how this shapes their perceptions of career success. Through qualitative interviews with 31 Buddhist Chinese business owners, we introduce the concept of 'identity synchronisation' to explain how individuals manage multiple, potentially conflicting identities. Our findings reveal that participants maintain distinct yet mutually reinforcing professional and religious identities, leading to a holistic conceptualisation of career success encompassing both material achievements and spiritual fulfilment. This process of identity synchronisation influences ethical decision-making, leadership approaches, and definitions of success. Our analysis extends social identity theory by demonstrating how individuals actively synchronise seemingly disparate identities, challenging the notion that work and religious identities are inherently conflicting. The study contributes to understanding how religious identity shapes work experiences in diverse business contexts and offers insights for organisations supporting multiple identity expressions. It provides a foundation for exploring how diverse identities influence workplace dynamics in an increasingly globalised environment.