THE INFLUENCE OF LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS, MARKET ORIENTATION, HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, AND STRATEGIC AGILITY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE BUSINESSES IN THAILAND

Abstract This study develops a structural equation model to explore the influences of leadership characteristics, market orientation, human resource management, innovation management, and strategic agility on the operational performance of electric vehicle businesses in Thailand. The population for this research consists of 1,890 automotive industry operators in Thailand (Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion, 2022). The quantitative sample size was determined based on the observation variable ratio of 1 to 20, resulting in a sample size of 380 participants selected through stratified sampling, as there were 19 observation variables. Additionally, qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with 20 executives and entrepreneurs in the domestic electric vehicle industry, with data analyzed using content analysis. The structural equation model was validated against empirical data, revealing a perfect fit with significant coefficients across various relationships. Leadership characteristics were found to have a direct and significant impact on innovation management, strategic agility, and organizational performance, with coefficients of 0.138, 0.197, and 0.119, respectively. Additionally, market orientation and human resource management demonstrated strong direct influences on innovation management, while also significantly affecting strategic agility and organizational performance. The results indicate that innovation management directly influences strategic agility, which in turn affects organizational performance. Collectively, the factors of leadership characteristics, market orientation, and human resource management accounted for 18% of the variance in innovation management, while they, alongside innovation management, predicted strategic agility. These findings underscore the importance of strategic leadership and human resource practices in enhancing innovation and operational effectiveness within the electric vehicle sector in Thailand.