Guidelines for Upgrading One Tambon One Product to Create Competitive Opportunities in the Digital Economy

Abstract

In organizations, the guidelines of upgrading One Tambon One Product (OTOP) can be applied by taking it on the action plan’s agenda in building steady and explicit operational targets, and to create a solid base in terms of creating competitive opportunities. A mixed method research design was adopted for this study. The quantitative data was collected by questionnaires from 500 small business entrepreneurs on four variables: resource preparation, alliance collaboration, product development, and competitive advantage. The qualitative research design used the In-depth interview technique to collect data from nine experts, identified through purposive sampling method, and divided into three groups of equal size comprising 3 members: a group of successful business entrepreneurs, a group of government leaders and related agencies and a group of academics The study found that the element of resource preparation created competitive opportunities in the digital economy through transparent leadership; alliance collaboration made a collaboration arrangement with other companies; product development expanded the idea to be concrete; and competitive advantage kept individuals with expertise and experience with the company. The study recommends improving the model by considering the Modification Indices obtained from the packaged program with theoretical academic principles and eliminating some improper observational variables.