Business Strategies for Sustainable Development across the Thailand-Cambodia Border: A Case Study of Aiyara Planet Company Limited

Abstract

             The objectives of this research were to study the status and role of direct selling businesses in Thailand and Cambodia , and to propose suggestions for sustainable direct selling business growth in Cambodia based on a case study of Aiyara Planet Company Limited. This ethnographic qualitative-based research gathered documentary data and used in-depth interviews, group interviews, focus group discussions with key informants determined by the purposive sampling method, and participatory observation to produce detailed and comprehensive accounts of data. The qualitative data validation was then used to verify the collected data. The qualitative data analysis used for data interpretation in this study consisted of data arrangement-based interpretation, rational interpretation, and qualitative historical data analysis. The research found that Thailand’s direct selling businesses have been expanded into Cambodia for over a decade now starting from market expansion around the Thailand-Cambodia border area and gradually increasing their businesses throughout the main cities in Cambodia. The businesses have faced the dilemma of challenges, obstacles, achievements, and a highly competitive market. At present, the COVID-19 pandemic situation has significantly deteriorated all the businesses developing economic recession. The proposed suggestions for sustainably driving Thai direct selling businesses in Cambodia included the following 7 strategies: organizational branding strategy, marketing strategy, learning organization strategy, organizational culture creation strategy, information and technology system creation strategy aided with modern technology, leading direct salespeople promotion strategy, and organizational power building strategy towards the same goals.