LINKING SPIRITUALITY TO WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF THE BRAZILIAN CANDOMBLE.

Spirituality has long been an influential force in the lives of many people. Although first quietly ignored in western business settings, the influence of spirituality has recently been a topic of heightened interest to managers and scholars in a large number of countries including the United States. However, in Bahia, Brazil, the fundamentals of spirituality have always been clear and an integral part of the community. As a result, most workplaces in the Bahia region exhibit many indications of the underlying spiritual nature of those employed there. A major component of Brazilian spirituality is the Candomble - religious traditions originating in western Africa. This paper examines the influence of the Brazilian Candomble on workers in Bahia. Organizational and managerial reflections are offered for managers around the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]