Analysing barriers towards management of Halal supply chain : a BWM approach

Purpose: Assurance of Halal integrity up to the consumption point requires a supply chain approach. Credence quality attributes of Halal products make adoption and management of Halal practices along the whole supply chain a challenging task. This paper aims to explore and evaluate the barriers in the management of the Halal supply chain. Design/methodology/approach: This paper reviews the contemporary literature regarding Halal and management of Halal supply chain and subsequently identifies significant barriers towards managing the Halal supply chain. Further, these barriers are examined quantitatively using Best Worst Method. Findings: This study has established significant barriers to Halal supply chain management. Moreover, prioritisation of barriers gives a hierarchy to mitigate these significant barriers. The analysis suggests that reduced demand for Halal products is the highly weighted barrier. Improper laws to regulate the Halal industry and lack of policy framework are hindering the effective management of the Halal supply chain. Research limitations/implications: This study explored a limited number of barriers; it may be possible that some barriers might not have captured. Further, the identified barriers are generic and validated in the context of multicultural societies. Expert opinion has been used to obtain the weight of barriers which may be biased. Originality/value: To the best of author’s knowledge, no study has categorically explored and presented a holistic framework to mitigate barriers of managing Halal practices in the supply chain.