OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

Irna bt Abd Karim

Ilyia Nur Ab Rahman, Rosli saleh, Suhaimi Ab Rahman and Dzulkifly Mat Hashim (2011). Factor contributing to non-compliance of Halal standard among restaurant operators in Malaysia vol.24. From www.ipedr.com/vol24/18-CBETM2011-M10024.pdf.

Introduction - This journal pressing the clear meaning of Halal, especially among restaurant operators in Malaysia. The ignorance about the overall meaning of Halal leads the restaurant operators and food premises displayed several of private Halal logo that currently are confusing customers and raised doubts on the validity of the Malaysian Halal logo. Halal issue has become an important issue not only in Malaysia but globally discussed, because it is not only meant for the Muslims but also the whole of mankind which concerned with food that is pure and safe. That is why this study had been conducted to investigate the reasons for non-compliances among restaurant operators towards Halal requirements because is it important to know the major problems faces by the restaurant operators for not complying with better practices of standard Halal requirements in the restaurant industry. Procedures - The data collection method used by personal interview using self-administered questionnaires distributed to the restaurants owners those who are jobs involved decision making and supervising the restaurant operators. They are employed in restaurants that served food to Muslim in Kuala Lumpur area. The location been chosen because of it is have the high growth in restaurant number. This study focused measuring on the attitude toward non-compliance, religious and non-compliance behavior of restaurant operators and seven factors that possible factor of non-compliances toward the Halal Standard which are ‘lack of knowledge in Halal concept’, ‘cost of implement’, ‘cost of changes’, ’supplier issue’, ‘demand from customer’, ‘governance issues’, and ‘lack of monitoring and enforcement’. Findings - Overall the problem does not comply with Halal standards is actually due to the attitudes and behaviors of its own restaurant operators which lack of the knowledge in Halal concept. In addition the restaurant operators are also less concerned about the issue of supplier which supplied the Halal goods and government issues about enforcement legitimate use Halal logo. The authors find that there is a significant relationship between attitudes and behavior of the restaurant owner that not to comply with Halal standard. Secondly, it revealed that religious and behavior of non-compliance among restaurant operator have no significant relationship. Finally, out of the seven factors only three are found to be the significant factors of non-compliances toward the Halal Standard, which consists of lack of knowledge, supplier issue and governance issues. Conclusion - The Halal issues are hot and a serious matter especially for the Muslim consumers in choosing the right eating establishment. It been reported that the problem of non compliance among restaurant owners towards Halal practices is very serious. This study shown that attitudes of non-compliance is the most influential factor followed by perceived behavioral control, which consists of lack of knowledge, supplier issue and governance issues, contributed to the non-compliance behavior toward Halal practices among restaurant owner. This really important to guarantee not only Muslim customer but mankind in getting not only Halal food, but also the Tayyiban aspects of the food preparation, in term of cleanliness, quality, safety and reliability of such food products and the complementing service. Personal Comments - My opinion, this study is particularly important to restaurant operators. It can give overview of how importance of the Halal matter is beginning from the the process of get Halal raw materials from suppliers then the process of operation provides food until offer or sell food to customers. Therefore, as a restaurant operators the attitude, behavioral and lack of knowledge must be changed to obtain information from relevant agencies. With this changing attitudes and behavior, restaurant operators will know what Halal certification standards endorsed by the government. Determining the supply chain those offer Halal supplies consist of storage and transportation in order to guarantee a Tayyiban aspect in the food preparation operation. To fulfil the customers demand in restaurant toward Halal standard, that meant restaurant operators whose preparing food operation were halal-certified and had a competitive advantage. Where it can create a goods and services through the Halal transformations of input to output in order to create a high value of customers need and a create a unique advantage over competitors.