The Degree Of Whistleblowing Intention And Its Determinants Among Halal Food Manufacturing Employees
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33102/jfatwa.vol28no2.517Keywords:
Whistleblowing, Food safety, Halal food industry, Halal employeesAbstract
Any fraud or wrongdoing that occurs in the halal food industry can have a severe impact on the safety and integrity of halal food products. Whistleblowing is one of the methods that can be used to combat fraudulent halal food and food safety issues. Some illegal, unsafe, or unethical behaviour may not be discovered by top management or Halal authorities. The safety and integrity of Halal food industry depend on the honesty of the food producers. Hence, whistleblowing is encouraged and should be practiced to counter the possibility of Halal food fraud occurrence. The purpose of this research is to determine the level of whistleblowing intention among employees of Halal certified food manufacturing companies and assess the level of factors influencing this intention (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, perceived organizational support, religious obligation, knowledge, personal cost reporting, personal responsibility, and seriousness of wrongdoing). The survey was collected among 210 of employees of Halal certified food manufacturing companies in Selangor via a structured questionnaire. The results revealed that the level of whistleblowing intention among employees is very good and most means scores of the factors influencing employee’s decision to whistleblow are positive and favourable. The low mean score for personal cost reporting suggests minimal perceived personal costs associated with whistleblowing. Recommendations to implement whistleblowing system as food fraud prevention needs to be explored as employees’ intention was positive. Suggestions are also presented to ensure that reporting any wrongdoing within companies has a positive effect in preventing such incident.
Downloads
References
Ab Latif, R., Dahlan, A., Abdul Mulud, Z., & Mat Nor, M. Z. (2017). The Impact of Rusnani Concept Mapping (RCM) on Academic Achievement and Clinical Practices among Diploma Nursing Students. Education in Medicine Journal, 9(4), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.21315/eimj2017.9.4.1
Abd Razak, M. A., Ramli, M. A., & Jamaludin, M. A. (2020). The potential of food terrorism towards Halal ecosystem. Food Research, 4, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.26656/fr.2017.4(S1).S19
Ajzen, I. (2002). Perceived behavioral control, self-efficacy, locus of control, and the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 32(4), 665–683. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2002.tb00236.x
Alleyne, P., Charles-Soverall, W., Broome, T., & Pierce, A. (2017). Perceptions, predictors and consequences of whistleblowing among accounting employees in Barbados. Meditari Accountancy Research, 25(2), 241–267. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEDAR-09-2016-0080
Chuah, L. O., Mohd Esah Effarizah, Syahariza, Z. A. & He, X.B. (2015). Mislabelling of beef and poultry products sold in Malaysia. Food Control, 62. Doi: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2015.10.030
Cialdini, R. B., & Goldstein, N. J. (2004). Social influence: Compliance and conformity. Annual Review of Psychology, 55(1974), 591–621. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.55.090902.142015
Combs, J., Liu, Y., Hall, A., & Ketchen, D. (2006). How Much Do High-Performance Work Practices Matter ? a Meta-Analysis ... Personnel Psychology, 59(3), 501–528. http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2006.00045.x
Collins English Dictionary. (2023). Whistle-blowing definition and meaning. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/whistle-blowing.
Dai, Y., Li, H., Xie, W., & Deng, T. (2022). Power Distance Belief and Workplace Communication: The Mediating Role of Fear of Authority. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052932
Damit, D. H. D. Ag., Harun, A., & Martin, D. (2017). Key Challenges and Issues Consumer Face in Consuming Halal Product. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 7(11), 590–598. https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v7-i11/3498
Daniels, M. A., & Greguras, G. J. (2014). Exploring the Nature of Power Distance: Implications for Micro- and Macro-Level Theories, Processes, and Outcomes. Journal of Management, 40(5), 1202–1229. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206314527131
Department of Islamic Development. (2021). Halal Malaysian Portal. 2021. http://www.Halal.gov.my/v4/index.php?data=ZGlyZWN0b3J5L2luZGV4X2RpcmVjdG9yeTs7Ozs=
Dinar Standard. (2022). State of the Global Islamic Economy Report. In Dubai International Financial Centre. https://haladinar.io/hdn/doc/report2018.pdf
Farhan, M., Ariffin, M. D., Syahadah, N., Riza, M., Fahmi, M., Hamid, A., Awae, F., & Nasir, B. M. (2021). Halal Food Crime in Malaysia: An Analysis On Illegal Meat Cartel Issues. Journal of Contemporary Issues in Business and Government, 27(2), 1408. https://doi.org/10.47750/cibg.2021.27.02.152
Fuseini, A., Wotton, S. B., Knowles, T. G., & Hadley, P. J. (2017). Halal Meat Fraud and Safety Issues in the UK: a Review in the Context of the European Union. Food Ethics, 1(2), 127–142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41055-017-0009-1
Guchait, P., Simons, T., & Pasamehmetoglu, A. (2016). Error Recovery Performance: The Impact of Leader Behavioral Integrity and Job Satisfaction. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 57(2), 150–161. https://doi.org/10.1177/1938965515613858
Hofstede Insights. (2023). Retrieved 18 January, 2023 from https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country/malaysia/
Nurhidayat, I., & Kusumasari, B. (2017). Strengthening the Effectiveness of Whistleblowing System A Study for the Implementation of Anti-Corruption Policy in Indonesia Abstract. Journal of Financial Crime.
Kashif, M., Zarkada, A., & Thurasamy, R. (2017). The moderating effect of religiosity on ethical behavioural intentions: An application of the extended theory of planned behaviour to Pakistani bank employees. Personnel Review, 46(2), 429–448. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-10-2015-0256
Khatri, N. (2003). Consequences of Power Distance. The Journal of Business Perspective, 13(1), 1–9.
Kovacevic, D., Bray, S. R., Brown, D. M. Y., & Kwan, M. Y. W. (2022). Understanding Changes in Adolescent Physical Activity Behaviors and Cognitions Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4(July), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.895097
MacDougall, D. R. (2016). Whistleblowing: Don’t encourage it, prevent it: Comment on “Cultures of silence and cultures of voice: The role of whistleblowing in healthcare organisations.” International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 5(3), 189–191. https://doi.org/10.15171/ijhpm.2015.190
Malaysian Standard. (2019). Malaysian Standard 2400-1:2019. Malaysian Standard, 23.
May-Amy, Y. C., Han-Rashwin, L. Y., & Carter, S. (2020). Antecedents of company secretaries’ behaviour and their relationship and effect on intended whistleblowing. Corporate Governance (Bingley), 20(5), 837–861. https://doi.org/10.1108/CG-10-2019-0308
Miceli, M. P. and Near, J. P. (1994). “Relationship among Value Congruence, Perceived Victimization, and Retaliation against Whistle-blowers,” Journal of Management 20(4), 773-794.," Lexington Books.
McElwee, G., Smith, R., & Lever, J. (2017). Illegal activity in the UK Halal (sheep) supply chain: Towards greater understanding. Food Policy, 69, 166–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2017.04.006
Moy, G. G. (2018). The role of whistleblowers in protecting the safety and integrity of the food supply. Npj Science of Food, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-018-0017-5
Muslim, Abu Zakaria Muhyiddin bin Sharf al-Nawawi. 2008. Sahih Muslim. Tahqiq: Mahir Yasin al-Fahl. Juz 1. Cet. 1/ Damsyiq: Dar Ibn Kathir Li Tab’ah Wa al-Nasyr Wa al-Tauzi’.
Muslim, Abu Zakaria Muhyiddin bin Sharf al-Nawawi. 1972. Al-Manhaj Sharh Sahih Muslim bin al-Hajjaj. Cet. 2. Beirut: Dar Ihya’ Turath al-Arabi.
Near, J. P., & Miceli, M. P. (1985). Organisational dissidence: The case of whistle- blowing. Journal Business Ethics, 4, 1-16.
Near, J. P., & Miceli, M. P. (1995). Effective whistleblowing. The Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 679.
Nestle. (2023). How to report a non-compliance concern | Nestlé Global. Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https://www.nestle.com/about/how-we-do-business/report-compliance-concerns
Qudus, A., & Fahm, A. O. (2019). The Policy of Whistleblowing in Nigeria. International Journal of Civic Engagement and Social Change, 5(3), 32–47. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijcesc.2018070103
Rachagan, S., & Kuppusamy, K. (2013). Encouraging Whistle Blowing to Improve Corporate Governance? A Malaysian Initiative. Journal of Business Ethics, 115(2), 367–382. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1402-7
Soon, J. M., & Manning, L. (2017). Whistleblowing as a countermeasure strategy against food crime. British Food Journal, 119(12), 2597–2609. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-01-2017-0001
Supian, K. (2016). Enhancing Halal Practices Integrity in the Malaysian Halal food industry. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 10(11), 221–227.
Tieman, M., & Hassan, F. H. (2015). Convergence of food systems: Kosher, Christian and Halal. British Food Journal, 117(9), 2313–2327. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-02-2015-0058
Vandekerckhove, W., & Phillips, A. (2017). Whistleblowing as a Protracted Process: A Study of UK Whistleblower Journeys. Journal of Business Ethics, 159(1), 201–219. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3727-8
Yu, H., A. Sirsat, S., & Neal, J. A. (2019). Linking food safety training with whistle-blowing: The mediation roles of job satisfaction and self-efficacy. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 31(1), 141–160. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-10-2017-0689
Zainudin, N. H., & Zahari, W. M. Z. W. (2018). Whistleblowing: a western and Shari’ah perspective = Pemberi maklumat: perspektif barat dan Shari’ah. IIUM Law Journal, 26(1), 99–120
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Nabiilah Yusoff, Anis Najiha Ahmad, Norazilawati Md Dahlal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The copyright of this article will be vested to author(s) and granted the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, unless otherwise stated.
