Strategies for Enhancing Business Potential and Strengthening Entrepreneurs in the Thong Fah Raka Prayhad Shop Project for Local Economic Development in Nakhon Nayok Province

Abstract

This mixed methods research aimed to analyze the entrepreneurial characteristics and business potential of entrepreneurs participating in the Blue Flag Discount Store Projectfor Local Economic Development in Nakhon Nayok Province, and formulate strategies for enhancing business competitiveness. The quantitative phase included 396 entrepreneurs participating in the Blue Flag Discount Store Project. All data were collected by questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, including percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The qualitative phase involved focus group discussions with ten officials from the Nakhon Nayok Provincial Office of Commerce who were directly responsible for implementing the Blue Flag Discount Store Project. The qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis.

The findings revealed that: (1) the overall entrepreneurial characteristics were at a high level ( = 4.11, S.D. = 0.82). Among the dimensions, autonomy received the highest mean score, followed by achievement orientation, whereas innovativeness recorded the lowest mean score, although it remained at a high level. (2) The overall business potential was also at a high level ( = 3.59, S.D. = 0.85). The products and services dimension achieved the highest mean score, followed by pricing strategy, whereas sales promotion activities received the lowest mean score. (3) The integration of SWOT Analysis, the TOWS Matrix, and focus group discussions resulted in three strategic recommendations : (1) a proactive strategy to enhance the image of Blue Flag shops through the implementation of the 5S principles; (2) a corrective strategy to improve retail management through the adoption of a point-of-sale (POS) system; and (3) a strategy to strengthen brand loyalty by expanding communication and public relations channels through the LINE Official Account (LINE OA), the implementation of these strategies is expected to enhance the image of Blue Flag shops, improve management efficiency through POS technology, and enhance customer engagement via Line OA. These improvements will contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of participating entrepreneurs, retaining existing customers, and promoting sustainable local economic development.