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Drivers and Barriers to Growth of the Thai Rice Milling Industry
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy
Kanyathong Horadal
BEng (Industrial Engineering), MEng (Engineering Management)
School of Management
College of Business
RMIT University
April 2016
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Declaration
I certify that except where due acknowledgement has been made, the work is that of
the author alone; the work has not been submitted previously, in whole or in part, to
qualify for any other academic award; the content of the thesis/project is the result of
work which has been carried out since the official commencement date of the approved
research program; any editorial work, paid or unpaid, carried out by a third party is
acknowledged; and, ethics procedures and guidelines have been followed.
Kanyathong Horadal
22 April 2016
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Acknowledgements
Firstly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor Professor Kosmas
Smynios for the continuous support of my PhD study and related research, for his
patience, motivation, and immense knowledge. His guidance helped me in all areas of
my research. I could not have imagined having a better supervisor and mentor for my
PhD study.
Besides my supervisor, I would like to thank my second supervisor, Dr. Timothy
James, for his insightful comments and encouragement.
My sincere thanks also go to the Rice millers who participated in this research and
provided me with an opportunity to access parts of their business lives. Gratitude is
also extended to the Thai government for giving me access to their rice mill population
database. Without their precious support, it would not have been possible to conduct
this investigation.
I thank Suan Dusit University for their scholarship support.
Last but not the least, I must express my very profound gratitude to my family: my
parents and my sister for supporting me spiritually throughout this journey and my life,
in general.
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Table of content
Page
Declaration ……………………………………………………………..
ii
Acknowledgements……………………………………………………..
iii
List of Tables……………………………………………………………
vi
List of Figures…………………………………………………………..
vii
Summary………………………………………………………………..
viii
Chapter 1 Introduction
Research objectives and research questions…………………….
4
Rational………………………………………………………….
5
Theoretical conceptualization…………………………………...
6
Literature review………………………………………………...
7
Research design…………………………………………………
8
Outline of the thesis……………………………………………..
9
Chapter 2 Theoretical Conceptualization and Underpinnings
Contingency theory ……………………………..………………
10
Neo-institutional theory………………………………………...
16
Resource based-view of the firm ……………………………….
20
Dynamic capabilities…………………………………...………..
25
Chapter 3 Literature Review
Rice farming in Thailand………………………………………..
Thai rice milling…………………………………………………
43
Technological capabilities………………………………………
46
Education, training, and knowledge management………………
51
Government policy………………………………………………
Farm family businesses………………………………………….
56
Lifestyle entrepreneurs and lifestyle businesses………………...
60
Chapter 4 Study 1
Research design…………………………………………………
65
Reseach paradigm……………………………………………….
66
Method………………………………………………………….
69
Result……………………………………………………………
71
Summary and conclusion……………………………………….
82
Chapter 5 Study 2
Case study research……………………………………………...
84
Method…………………………………………………………..
86
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Table of content
Page
Case Studies
Case study 1……………………………………………………..
91
Case study 2……………………………………………………..
102
Case study 3……………………………………………………..
113
Case study 4……………………………………………………..
123
Case study 5……………………………………………………..
134
Vignette 1………………………………………………………..
144
Vignette 2………………………………………………………..
148
Vignette 3………………………………………………………..
Vignette 4………………………………………………………..
156
Vignette 5………………………………………………………..
160
Cross case analysis and discussion………………………………….
163
Limitations...…………………………………………………………
174
Chapter 6 Conclusion………………………………………………….
175
References………………………………………………………………
182