Improving Halal Compliance in Malaysia

This preliminary study examines the effect of motivation for change, informational assessment and readiness for halal certification compliance (ROCHC) among small and micro food manufacturers in Malaysia. Employing a quantitative approach, data were collected from 104 respondents through structured questionnaires. Due to the non-normal distribution of the data, PLS-SEM analysis was conducted to test the hypotheses. The findings reveal that motivation for change significantly predicted ROCHC, while informational assessment did not substantially affect readiness. By identifying motivation for change as a key predictor, this study highlights gaps in understanding the specific drivers that influence small and micro-firms’ ROCHC. These gaps include the lack of empirical evidence on how motivations and informational assessment within the Organisational Readiness for Change (ORC) theory interact with organisational readiness mechanisms in sustaining long-term compliance. Addressing these gaps can help refine intervention strategies to better support businesses in enhancing their readiness for halal standards compliance. The findings offer practical implications for policymakers and industry stakeholders, highlighting the need for targeted interventions such as comprehensive training programs, financial incentives and streamlined regulatory processes. to enhance compliance readiness among small and micro-food enterprises (SMEs). These measures can strengthen compliance readiness among SMEs, ensuring a more sustainable and effective approach to halal certification adoption.