Halal and Muslim-Minority Countries: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Muslim-minority countries have emerged among the largest exporters of halal products for the Muslim market and received significant numbers of inbound Muslim travellers. The global nature of the halal industry value chain calls for a thorough understanding about halal, particularly in the context of Muslim-minority countries. To gain this understanding, a systematic literature review was conducted to explore the themes of halal research in Muslim-minority countries. A total of 22 empirical research articles were analysed based on a review protocol adapted from ROSES. The articles were sourced from the Scopus and Web of Science, with Google Scholar as a supplementary database. The study generated five main themes that synthesise the scholarly knowledge about halal in the context of Muslim-minority countries at the consumer, organization, and institution levels of analysis. The findings illustrate the lack of understanding about halal among the industry players and consumers, as well as the lack of central governance and policymaking within the halal industry in Muslim-minority countries. Based on the findings, the study provides future direction for research and practice.