Abstract:
The objective of this research was to study the relationship between factors such as basic
information, production, and marketing mix which affected the competitive potential of Thai oil palm
industry in the global market.
The population employed in this research was 126 plants in oil palm industry sectors in
Thailand (Department of Industrial Works on February 19, 2016). A questionnaire was used as a
research instrument to collect data. Statistics applied in the study were descriptive statistics including
percentage, mean, standard deviation, as well as inferential statistics including F- test, LSD, and
Correlation Coefficient.
The results of the study showed that a company is the major type of a workplace s
registration in oil palm industry. The typical duration of oil palm factories business operation was from
5 to 10 years. The size of the oil palm factories was mostly small with no more than 50 employees. In
addition, the major type of production plant was a palm oil extraction plant. The results of the analysis
revealed that the competitive potential of Thai oil palm industry in the global market was divided into
7 aspects; learning of organizations, effectiveness of production, customer relation, business network,
technology sources, knowledge management, and business-oriented operations. Overall potential of
competitiveness as well as the potential in each aspect were indicated at a moderate level, whereas the
potential to compete globally of the Thai oil palm industry in the aspect of customer relation was shown
at a high level.