The Knowledge to Decide

Among global food product categories, Halal food is one of the few that is in the fast-growth stage. The global Halal food market is currently worth nearly USD700 billion – with 65 per cent of the demand coming from Asia. Opportunities abound – but how can companies best address them? Halal certification The literal meaning of the Arabic word ‘Halal’ is permissible. It is used in reference to food and drinks that are permissible for Muslims under Islamic Law, as defined in the Koran. It lays down instructions specifying what food can be consumed as well as the method of preparation, addressing mostly meat items and animal tissue. For example, the Islamic form of slaughtering animals involves killing by a cut to the windpipe, carotid artery and jugular vein. Muslim consumers now contribute to a growing demand for high quality and varied Halal food. The Halal certification is a concern for the 1.6 billion global Muslim population because many Muslims live in non-Muslim majority

Video games and movies have long been entertaining us with ever-more sophisticated and realistic computer-generated special effects. The latest trend in computer-generated experiences is Augmented Reality (AR), which is pulling graphics out of computer displays and television screens to integrate these into our real-world environment. With projected growth of 95 per cent a year from 2011, to reach revenues of USD5.2 billion in 2017, will AR succeed in blurring the line between the real and virtual user experience? What is AR? Simply put, Augmented Reality enables superimposition of computer generated data onto our direct experience of reality. It aims to enhance the user’s current awareness of reality by supplementing the real world with 3D virtual objects. The term – Augmented Reality – was originally coined in 1990 by former Boeing researcher Tom Caudell. The technology gradually spread to other platforms such as mobile applications in 2008. New AR mapping and social to

India’s e-tailing industry has the potential to grow from USD0.6 billion in 2012 to USD76 billion by 2021 – more than a hundredfold in 10 years. What do firms need to know about e-tailing in India to ride this wave of growth? India’s e-tailing industry India’s e-commerce market is projected to reach USD20 billion by 2015. By 2021, the projected growth would be a hundredfold, from USD0.6 billion in 2012 to USD76 billion. India’s e-tailing sector is booming, dominated by start-ups with backing from venture capital funds and driven by the younger generation. The sector’s growth as well as the rise in number of Internet users in India is attracting established players to enter the e-commerce business. Why is e-commerce booming? India’s e-commerce market is set to reach USD6 billion in 2015 with scope for more growth due to the growing Internet user population and increased usage of mobile phones. Some of the key factors behind this growth include: Rise in Internet user