A Causal Relationship Model of Strategic Factors Influencing Competitive Advantage of Medium-Sized Bottled Water Businesses in Northeastern Thailand
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Abstract
This academic article aims to synthesize concepts, theories, and contemporary literature related to the competitive advantage of medium-sized bottled water businesses. The discussion focuses on explaining the causal relationships among key factors that influence competitiveness within the bottled water industry in Thailand, an industry characterized by intense competition and a highly polarized market structure dominated by large national corporations and small local producers. Under such conditions, medium-sized enterprises often face strategic constraints and structural vulnerabilities that limit their ability to achieve sustainable competitive advantage.
The article adopts an integrative literature synthesis approach, drawing upon theoretical perspectives on competitive strategy, entrepreneurial characteristics, logistics systems, service marketing mix, and customer relationship management. Through systematic analysis and conceptual integration, the article develops a comprehensive framework that explains how these factors interact and collectively contribute to the creation of competitive advantage in medium-sized businesses. The synthesis of existing studies suggests that competitive advantage does not arise from a single factor in isolation, but rather from the dynamic interaction of internal capabilities and operational processes that are causally linked.
The analysis further indicates that entrepreneurial characteristics function as foundational drivers shaping strategic direction, while logistics systems and marketing mix elements play critical roles in translating strategy into operational effectiveness. Customer relationship management emerges as a key relational mechanism that enhances customer retention and builds competitive advantages that are difficult for competitors to imitate.
The conceptual insights presented in this article offer strategic guidance for entrepreneurs seeking to strengthen their competitive positioning in region-specific contexts. In addition, the synthesized framework provides a theoretical basis for policymakers and supporting agencies to design targeted measures that enhance the long-term competitiveness and sustainability of medium-sized enterprises in the bottled water industry.
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