A personal experience sparked in a university professor the desire to learn more about Halal.

Jefferson Cantalice, from João Pessoa, Paraíba, is a professor of Tourism and Hospitality in the Department of Tourism and Hospitality (DTH) at the Federal University of Paraíba.

In the first edition of CTec Halal, he presented the work "Halal from the perspective of the dominant logic of service: a preliminary theoretical reflection," originating from his doctoral thesis. Below, he discusses not only this work but also its relationship with Islam and, consequently, Halal.

Professor Jefferson, how did you become interested in a topic so closely linked to Islam?

My initial encounter with the subject occurred when I moved to Belo Horizonte to pursue my doctorate at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). I've always found religion interesting. Later, returning from vacation to João Pessoa, I attended a meeting of a former research group I was part of during my master's degree. There, my former advisor mentioned that one of the promising topics would be Islamic Marketing, and that's how I realized things were converging towards researching this area. However, my specific interest in Halal food arose when I was participating in Ramadan in 2015 and went with a group of friends to the Belo Horizonte Mosque to break the fast. That's when I first heard about Halal food. On that occasion, a colleague asked if the women minded eating food that wasn't Halal. This sparked an idea in me to research the subject from the perspective of the Muslim consumer.

The topic of the work you presented, "Halal from the perspective of the dominant logic of service: a preliminary theoretical reflection," comes from your doctoral thesis, correct? Could you explain what a didactic approach is?

Yes, the article is one of the results of my doctoral thesis. The theoretical perspective I addressed was that of Service-Dominant Logic (SDL), or as it is also known, the Logic of Service Dominance. Basically, SDL views every product (tangible goods) as a vehicle for a service (intangible). Thus, even when we buy a product (good), we don't buy it just for the product itself, but for the service it will offer us. For example: an analgesic, regardless of the brand or price, what we want is for it to relieve the pain. And then, if we observe the marketing that laboratories and brands do, the motto is how quickly this will happen. Why? Because we buy a product aiming for the service it offers, the product being a vehicle for a service, as SDL advocates. Certainly, this is one of the many examples we can have of the application of SDL principles.

What contribution or reflections does your work raise? What was your intention through it?

The intention was to bring a preliminary discussion on the topic of LDS (Large-Scale Discipline) to the context of Halal product consumption. Note that I mention "product" because it provides a broader scope for the study's application, considering that products refer to both goods and services. Therefore, the study encompasses this broad scope, as well as the many possibilities for applying LDS in consumption contexts. Thus, the work presented aimed to offer a "taste" of the topic, while the thesis presents a more comprehensive approach and the validation of a C-HALAL scale that demonstrates the "Correlation between Islamic religiosity and Halal consumption".

In your work, your recognition of the contributions that Halal offers – and which go far beyond health and safety – is evident. However, we are in a country with a Muslim minority. Do you believe that marketing (the Dominant Logic of Service) can be a way to popularize certified products here in Brazil – not only within the Muslim community, but focusing on everyone seeking more conscious consumption?

Yes. When you present a thesis, you not only develop a novel theme, but you also defend a line of thought before a panel of five PhD professors. Writing a thesis is not an easy process, and this "rite of passage" is even less so. But I think this proves how much I believe this work can be relevant to the entire Islamic community, as well as to society in general. I believe that companies in Brazil need to understand the importance of prioritizing socially vulnerable groups, especially religious ones, who are willing to pay for the sake of maintaining and positively preserving their faith and spirituality.

One of the considerations in your work states that “Halal certification positively impacts businesses, although some companies have not yet paid attention to this (growing) market niche. In your opinion, what needs to be done to increase this awareness and, consequently, encourage more companies to seek certification?”

Companies need to know that this audience exists and possesses enormous purchasing power. Furthermore, they are willing to pay based on their religiosity and devotion. Companies need to see profit in the process; unfortunately, this is the prevailing commercial logic. And how will companies find out? Through initiatives like CTec Halal and other scientific events that bring together the agents involved in the process, that is, academia and the market.

Finally, how did you find out about CTec Halal and why did you decide to present your work? What is your assessment of the event?

I follow several pages related to Islam. I found out about it through Instagram and the International Halal Academy page. My wife and I were amazed by the organization and excellence. Honestly, I didn't expect anything less, given what I know about the Islamic community. I intend to attend future events again.

Jefferson, is there anything else you'd like to share with us?

The work I presented was 10% of what I researched during my doctoral studies. I believe that the Halal theme still has much to be explored, including other applications such as the one presented at the event on Halal Tourism – which I have been focusing on for a future post-doctoral project – taking into account, above all, my current area of expertise.