The cultural-economic model and public relations in the Middle East: An examination of the Islamic banking system in Kuwait

• Study adopts the cultural-economic model of public relations to analyze Islamic bank websites in Kuwait.
• Analysis of websites extrapolates six Islamic value orientations.
• Value orientations illuminate relationship between public relations and religion.
• Study provides insight into public relations, the Middle East and Islamic values.

This article adopts the cultural-economic model of public relations practice to analyze the communications through the websites of three prominent Islamic banks in Kuwait. The analysis extrapolates Islamic value orientations including respect for religious authority, affinity with the past, fatalism, communal kinship, attachment to the eternal life and spirituality and idealism. The orientations are then examined relative to public relations practice in the Middle East. The study advances the understanding of Islam and public relations in the Middle East, an understudied region in public relations literature, and illuminates the relationship between religion and public relations. It concludes with observations to guide public relations projects directed toward Muslims in the Middle East for professionals and scholars.