François N. Dubé’s scientific contributions

Policies of forced migration due to environmental degradation expose migrants to a number of potential risks, particularly in developing and newly industrialized countries such as China. This article aims to explore the contribution of institutional governance and migrant participation to the mitigation of these risks. Based on an empirical survey conducted in two villages in China’s Ningxia province, we consider the interactive relations between migrants and local government, and find that the participatory nature of local institutions (or lack thereof) plays a fundamental role in determining the success of migration policies. Thus, the risks of social dislocation are not inevitable consequences imposed on migrants: When given the opportunity, they can adapt, influence, and improve resettlement projects in order to mitigate the risks to which they are exposed.

There is a broad consensus to the effect that public agencies can mitigate the obstacles and uncertainties associated with the process of firm internationalisation. One critical aspect of such interventionist policy is the establishment of a national/regional halal certification system, which has been widely recognised as a core factor in the international expansion of halal food firms. Based on thorough field research conducted in the halal food industries of the Ningxia Autonomous Hui Region of China and Malaysia, the present article examines how different models of halal certification can promote and ease access of local firms to international markets. Using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the present article allows the authors to formulate general conclusions on the relationship between firm internationalisation and halal certification, as well as specific insights for halal food industries elsewhere seeking to promote their international activities.

There is a broad consensus to the effect that public agencies can mitigate the obstacles and uncertainties associated with the process of firm internationalisation. One critical aspect of such interventionist policy is the establishment of a national/region halal certification system, which has been widely recognised as core factor in the international expansion of halal food firms. Based on a thorough field research conducted in the halal food industries of the Philippines and Malaysia, the present article shall explicitly examine how exactly different models of halal certification can promote and ease access of local firms to international markets. Using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the present article will allow us to formulate general conclusions regarding the relationship between firm internationalisation and halal certification, as well as specific insights for other halal food industries seeking to promote their international activities. © Asian Academy of Management and Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia 2016.

p>The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, located in Northwestern China, has the highest concentration of Hui Muslims in China: around 34% of the local population is Hui Muslim. Following the anti-religious campaigns of the communist regime and the wide destruction of the Cultural Revolution, Hui Muslims began gradually to reclaim their Muslim heritage in the late 70's. A major aspect of the rediscovery of their Islamic heritage was the Rehabilitation and reconstruction of Islamic Architectural buildings. As of today, Ningxia counts 4,500 mosques and other religious buildings. The present article seeks to introduce the architectural tendencies at play in this reconstruction, specifically the role of competing Arabic and Chinese influences.</p

The concept of industrial clustering—that is, the importance of synergies between complementary economic activities gathered together in one place—has long been associated with an easier, faster process of internationalization for participating firms. But the question of how exactly—by which mechanisms—such industrial clustering helps firms internationalize remains unclear. To fully understand this relationship, the present article focuses on the process of cluster governance, and distinguishes between three different aspects, namely, the cluster composition, the internal network density, and the degree of knowledge sharing. By focusing on two major halal industrial clusters in Malaysia—namely, the Penang International Halal Hub and the Melacca Halal Hub—we shall see how the different aspects of the Malaysian model of industrial clustering facilitates the process of firm internationalization in the Halal industry. In order to analyze the internal network of the two halal parks under study, we use the quantitative methods derived from Bossomaier and Green (1999), based on data related to networks of business interactions. The conclusions of the present article will allow us to formulate useful insights for other halal industrial clusters seeking to internationalize their activities.

Les projets de migration programmee de populations pour cause de degradations environnementales representent un veritable defi pour les institutions publiques, et impliquent plusieurs risques pour les migrants eux-memes, particulierement dans les pays emergents comme la Chine. Cet article vise a explorer l'influence de la gouvernance des institutions et de la participation des migrants sur la mitigation de ces risques. Sur la base d'une enquete empirique realisee dans deux villages de la province du Ningxia, nous considerons la relation dynamique et interactive entre les migrants et les autorites locales, et constatons que la nature participative (ou non) des institutions peut jouer un role fondamental dans la reussite ou l'echec des projets de deplacement. Ainsi, les risques d'appauvrissement et de desarticulation sociale ne sont pas des consequences inevitables qui s'imposent aux migrants : lorsqu'on leur en donne l'opportunite, ces derniers peuvent reagir, s'adapter, influencer et meme ameliorer les projets, afin de faire valoir leurs interets et de mitiger les risques auxquels ils sont exposes.