A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting a research project (Malhotra, 2008). This study took a two-stage mixed method approach to collecting data. It is believed that both quantitative and qualitative researches are important and useful. The author found that both methods have many benefits where in some situations qualitative approach would be more appropriate and in some aspects, the quantitative approach serves more objective reality. Johnson and Onwuegbuzie (2004) emphasized that in some situations, researchers can put together insights and procedures from both approaches to produce a superior product. Furthermore, quantitative approach is based on positivism whereas qualitative approach is based on interpretivism (Sale et al., 2002).
In the first stage, a quantitative approach was taken, where a mail survey was sent to 2080 managers of restaurants in Malaysia that were either: (1) certified to serving halal food (halal certified), (2) were not certified to serving halal food but claimed they were (halal claimant), or (3) non-halal eating establishments (non halal). By including managers of all three restaurant-types,
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this study sought to fully understand the perception of halal certification within the Malaysian restaurant sector.
Restaurants were selected using systematic sampling, where every fourth restaurant was selected from a list of 8320 provided by the Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia/ Companies Commission of Malaysia. This list included restaurants from all thirteen states within Malaysia and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. Table 5.1 indicated the three types of eating establishments (café, restaurant and others) listed by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (2008). It is noted that Shaharin Rusni, the officer in Companies Commission has sent the list of eating establishments in Malaysia through electronic mail from Companies Commission of Malaysia to the author on 31 July 2008. This survey focused on those restaurants registered as a private limited company or Sendirian Berhad (Sdn Bhd) and listed by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia) (Table 5.2). Under the Companies Act 1965 a private limited company has a formal business structure where the requirements to form a company are:
i. A minimum of two subscribers to the shares of the company (Section 14 CA); ii. A minimum of two directors (Section 122 CA); and
iii. A company secretary who can either be:
a. an individual who is a member of a professional body prescribed by the Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs; or
b. an individual licensed by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM)
Both the director and company secretary shall have their principal or only place of residence within Malaysia
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Table 5.1: Types of Eating Establishments Registered as Private Limited Companies
Restaurant Others Café
Kuala Lumpur (Federal Capital) 2781 610 173
Perak 312 74 36 Sabah 311 61 42 Selangor 2428 499 142 Pahang 113 27 3 Kelantan 24 7 2 Sarawak 406 114 46 Johor 617 199 64 Kedah 222 24 15 Melaka 207 34 8 Negeri Sembilan 149 39 7 Pulau Pinang 693 212 66 Perlis 9 0 0 Terengganu 48 2 2 Total 8320 1902 606
Source: Rusni, S. (personal e-mail, July 31, 2008).
Table 5.2: Restaurants Registered as Private Limited Companies as at 31 July 2008
State in Malaysia Number of Restaurant
Kuala Lumpur (Federal Capital)
2781 Perak 312 Sabah 311 Selangor 2428 Pahang 113 Kelantan 24 Sarawak 406 Johor 617 Kedah 222 Melaka 207 Negeri Sembilan 149 Pulau Pinang 693 Perlis 9 Terengganu 48 Total 8320
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In the second stage, a series of 33 semi-structured interviews were conducted with restaurant managers in five locations within Malaysia (Selangor, Johor, Pulau Pinang, Perak and Kuala Lumpur). Participants in this stage of the research were recruited using convenience- sampling approach, with at least ten interviews being conducted with managers of each restaurant type (halal certified, halal claimant and non-halal). These interviews allowed the author to further contextualize the quantitative data gathered in the first stage of this study.
Mail Survey
A draft survey instrument was developed and pretested. The cover page of the survey outlined the voluntary nature of the study, informed participants that their responses would remain anonymous, and provided the instructions for returning the survey in the self-addressed envelope provided. A mail survey was chosen due to its low cost and the ability to reach a geographically widespread sample. No incentives were provided in order to encourage participation. As mentioned earlier, restaurants were selected using a systematic random sampling, where every fourth restaurant was selected from the list provided by the Companies Commission of Malaysia.
The survey was designed to measure expectations towards halal certification, both in general and in the context of Malaysia. All items were measured using five-point Likert scales that were anchored from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Respondents were informed that if they did not wish to proceed, they could stop at any time they wanted. They were also informed that all data provided would be treated strictly confidentially and that anonymity would be preserved. The survey instrument took approximately 10 to 15 minutes to be completed. Respondents were required to return the completed questionnaire to the author in the self-addressed envelope provided with a paid postage.
In July 2009, 2080 questionnaires were mailed throughout Malaysia. The survey period was concluded in September 2009 after follow ups were conducted with non-respondents. A total of 643 restaurant mangers completed the mail survey, thus giving an effective response rate of 30.9%. Postal surveys are becoming an increasingly popular method of conducting research in Malaysia although the response rates from these surveys are not well studied (Yeap et al., 2002). Harzing (2000) indicated that the response rate for food and beverages industry was 18.4% whereas Yaacob (2008) in his mail survey conducted in Malaysia obtained 10 % of response rate. Due to some limitations that have been highlighted in Chapter One, follow-ups were done 2 months after the delivery and showed some increasing results.
96 Questionnaire Development
Survey questions were provided in English in order to ensure better understanding among respondents and to avoid misinterpretation of terms and meanings if translated in Bahasa Melayu (Malay Language). The questionnaire was divided into five sections (Appendix A). Section A was on business demographics whereby some general information on the eating establishment was asked such as its name, city, seating capacity, experience, number of employees and whether the premise falls into halal certified, halal claimant or non halal restaurant. Section B examined the perceptions of the restaurant managers towards the premises they were working in. The restaurant managers’ perceptions of halal certification in general were asked in Section C, while Section D was on what restaurant managers’ specifically thought of halal certification in Malaysia. Section E of the instrument was designed to collect the demographic information of the respondents such as age, gender, religion, race and educational background. The section on age started from 21-30 because 60% of the workforce in Malaysia are below 35 years of age (Abdul Ghani et al., 2001).
The questionnaire was developed on the basis of the literature outlined in the previous chapters and in light of the overall objective of the thesis. Despite the paucity of relevant literature on halal matters, particularly on halal certification at eating establishments, there are a number of significant themes that have been derived from previous studies that help inform the survey questions. These are briefly listed in Table 5.3.
Table 5.3: Generating Survey Questions
Question number
Statement Reference Comment on contribution of reference
This restaurant 11 16 17 serves quality foods international cuisine only local cuisine only
Riaz & Chaudry (2004)
Al-Harran & Low (2008)
Halal foods are often perceived as being especially selected and processed to achieve the highest standards of quality. This is in keeping with religious obligations.
Local tastes with respect to food are
changing and becoming more
97 18 local and international cuisine 19 23 34 36 38 39 40 41 prepares food that is according to the food safety standard.
welcomes routine
inspection from related authority
I think that halal
certification in restaurants signifies food quality signifies healthy food signifies trust signifies being hygienic signifies safety
signifies all food
Mohd Yusoff (2004) Badrie et al. (2006); Knight et al. (2007)
Rennie (1994)
Shamsudin & Selamat (2005);Muhammad (2007)
Regenstein et al. (2003)
Mohamed Nasir & Pereira (2008)
Aliman & Othman(2007)
Pang & Toh (2008); Shafie & Othman
De Jonge et al. (2008)
Shafie & Othman (2004); Riaz & Chaudry (2004);
All the products and raw materials used must be safe and will not cause harm to health.
Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about food safety standards and systems.
Ongoing reinforcement of hygiene messages in the workplace is essential if desired food handling practices are to be sustained. Improvement in food hygiene practices can be fostered by provision of a physical and social environment which supports the application of appropriate food handling behaviours. Routine restaurant inspections are essential in maintaining food safety and preventing food-borne illness.
Halal certification is a form of quality assurance.
Relies on trust on the suppliers when purchasing the food items.
The issue of ‘trust’ and ‘peace of mind’ emerges from the work of several authors with respect to consumer perceptions of the halal certified food as well as other food certification programs.
Muslim consumers in Malaysia also appear to be becoming more sensitive to
halal conformance.
Their study on Muslim and Buddhist hawkers’ food safety in Malaysia revealed that religion might have been a reason for better food safety practice in Malay hawkers.
Premises preparing and selling halal food must be clean and free of elements which
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45
sources are halal
certified
demand from the Muslim
customers
Linton et al.(1998); Abdul Talib et al. (2008)
Chang (2006)
may cause infestation of flies, rats, cockroaches, lizards and other such pests. Workers must be healthy, wear clean protective clothing and cover their heads to avoid contamination. Equipment used must be washed frequently to ensure cleanliness including washroom facilities. Proposed that appropriate risk
management and communication
practices, such as certification, reduce the negative effects associated with food related hazards.
All elements of the restaurant supply chain must be halal. Traceability aspects of food are an important consideration of the
halal certification laws.
With 60% of population being Muslim, the demand for halal foods by Malaysian consumers has increased over the years. They have expressed concerns and expected that a halal standard in food products have extended from meat and meat products to non meat based products. 47 48 52 increases confidence level among the Muslim customers increases confidence level among the non- Muslims
customers attracts the tourism market
Al-Harran & Low (2008)
Al-Harran &
Low(2008);Mohd Yusoff
(2004); Chang (2006)
Halal certification has the potential to gain confidence amongst the Muslim and non-Muslim society because the concept of halal covers everything from farm to fork.
There has been a substantial increase in tourism to Malaysia from both Muslim and non-Muslim countries along with increased awareness of halal in what were traditionally non-Muslim countries as a result of migration.
The growth in tourism is expected to fuel the growth of restaurants offering international cuisines such as Middle Eastern and Latin American food.
99 I believe that other restaurant managers think of halal certification in Malaysia 55 as an important aspect in the food service industry
Al-Harran & Low
(2008);National SME
Development Council (2006)
Halal certification has become a way of assuring consumers as to the quality and integrity of halal food.
62 63 is a standard that is difficult to follow is a standard that is difficult to maintain
National SME Development Council (2006); Mohd Yusoff (2004)
Difficulties in examining the sometimes long supply chains of halal food.
Halal eating rules is a stringent standard.