Prior studies have suggested that firm owners’ religious beliefs can affect a firm’s economic and social responsibility endeavors. However, the mechanism underlying this effect has received scant attention. Drawing on the role theory and the Buddhist literature, we argue that firm owners’ Buddhist beliefs facilitate a firm’s long-term orientation, bolstering its proactive environmental strategies (PES). Additionally, from the perspective of role conflict, we argue that the positive effect of firm owners’ Buddhist beliefs on a firm’s long-term orientation diminishes with firm owners’ age. An empirical analysis of 887 firms from China supports our hypotheses. These mediating and moderating effects shed light on the intricate temporal relationship between firm owners’ Buddhist beliefs and business operations.
