Entrepreneurial Orientation, Knowledge Management, Marketing Strategies, Innovativeness and Thai Organic Farming Business Performance Outcomes

Abstract

The research objectives were: 1) to study a degree of entrepreneurial orientation, knowledge management, marketing strategies, innovativeness and organic farming business performance in Thailand; 2) to explore the causal relations of the factors of entrepreneurial orientation, knowledge management, marketing strategies and innovativeness that influenced Thai organic farming business and 3) to test the factors that were effective in Thai organic farming business. The variables studied included entrepreneurial orientation, knowledge management, marketing strategies, innovativeness, and performance outcomes. A mixed research method was employed in the present work. In the quantitative research, a research instrument was a questionnaire used to collect data from 610 entrepreneurs engaged in the organic agricultural business. In a qualitative research, research instruments were an in-depth interview and a semi-structural interview. Key informants were 12 individuals involved in the organic agricultural business. Statistics used in data analysis were means, standard deviation and AMOS-based model analysis. The research findings were as follows. As regards the quantitative data, it was found that entrepreneurial orientations, knowledge management, marketing strategies, innovativeness and performance outcomes were overall at a high level. A model analysis showed its conformity with empirical data according to the set assumption with the value of X²=1,552.152, df=1,479, X²/df=1.049, p-value=0.091, GFI=0.924, CFI=0.996, RMR=0.025, RMSEA=0.009. The results of testing the causal relations of the factors that affected the performance of Thai organic farming business showed the following findings: 1) entrepreneurial orientation had a direct influence on knowledge management; 2) entrepreneurial orientation had a direct influence on innovativeness; 3) knowledge management had a direct influence on marketing strategies; 4) marketing strategies had a direct influence on innovativeness; 5) marketing strategies had a direct influence on performance; 6) innovativeness had a direct influence on performance, and 7) knowledge management had a direct influence on the performance of marketing strategies. A qualitative study found that the organic farming business could be successful in a sustainable manner based on the cooperation from the following: 1) Participation was needed. The state agencies had to support the coordination between the business sectors and farmer groups. Support was essential to research, active working, creativity and dissemination of knowledge, and innovative business;  2) Entrepreneurship included a shared vision in the organic farming business, sense of ownership of those concerned, new ideas, creative processes, new technological procedures to yield more effective services and  3) Profitability prioritized the data management on economy, good quality life and environmental conservation. Information system on finance was to be employed to operate the business and to analyse liquidity in a performance. Entrepreneurs could utilize a model in the study to develop the organic farming business in commensurate with a business location to make Thai organic farming more sustainable.