Manuscript Title:

A STUDY OF MEGATRENDS AND IMPACT ON LOGISTICS OPERATIONS: STRATEGY TO SUSTAINABLY ENHANCING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FOR THAI SMES

Author:

TAWEESAK THEPPITAK

DOI Number:

DOI:10.17605/OSF.IO/QPWD5

Published : 2022-08-10

About the author(s)

1. TAWEESAK THEPPITAK - Professor, Faculty of Logistics, Burapha University, Thailand.

Full Text : PDF

Abstract

In past decades, it is recognized to role of logistics as a major driven to Thai SME firms. Thai government continuously boosted Thailand’s economic growth through many projects. One of dominant policy is how to improve logistics capacity building and efficiency of Thai SMEs. However, megatrends, (i.e. new technologies, outsourcing, e-commerce, demographic change, globalization of operations, regulatory development, and sustainability), increasingly impact to logistics operations and management. The paper explores how the factors impact to Thai SME firms, especially, in logistics activities. How can Thai SMEs adapt and response to changing factors, and how they sustainably enhance their competitive advantage. A total of 140 questionnaires were sent out and 122 usable completed questionnaires were received, with response rate of 87.14 percent. In-depth interviews were used specifically to obtain deeper insight from 37 Thai SME owners. The hypothesis is statistically tested using SPSS version 14.0.0. Descriptive statistics and multiple regressions were used. The results indicated that the megatrends have in a different degree of impact to logistics activities. There are strong and positive relationships between impact of megatrends on logistics and logistics operations. The implication reflects that Thai SME firms would adapt and response to the megatrends. It provides recommendations for creating opportunity and sustainably enhancing competitive advantage. Research in area of capacity building for learning megatrends would be further conducted.


Keywords

Logistics, SME, Megatrend, Thailand.