A SUCCESS STORY OF RESTAURANT ENTREPRENEURS : AN EVIDENCE FROM PHUKET, THAILAND

Abstract

This study explores the entrepreneurial experiences of local-owned and foreign-owned restaurant entrepreneurs in Phuket, Thailand, with the aim of understanding the underlying drivers of success in a highly competitive hospitality destination. Using in-depth interviews with three key informants—two expatriates and one Thai entrepreneur who migrated to Phuket—the research identified three major themes shaping entrepreneurial outcomes: inspiration of business operation, challenges and challenge management, and social responsibility. The findings reveal that entrepreneurs exhibit strong opportunity-recognition capabilities and effectual decision-making, turning limitations such as migration status and location into competitive advantages. Marketing competence, especially digital strategies and differentiation of value propositions, emerges as central to sustaining competitiveness in a crowded market. Furthermore, the integration of social responsibility into business models from the nascent stage reflects the role of strategic CSR and stakeholder engagement in building long-term legitimacy and resilience. This study contributes to the literature on entrepreneurship in tourism-dependent regions by highlighting the interplay between opportunity recognition, dynamic capabilities, and embedded social responsibility, offering insights for both scholars and practitioners in hospitality entrepreneurship.