BEYOND RESOURCE AVAILABILITY: A MULTI-LEVEL DRIVER MODEL OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN RESPONSIBLE TOURISM - EVIDENCE FROM TUNG YEE PENG, THAILAND

Abstract

This study advances a multi-level framework that explains how individual commitment, community cohesion, and supportive institutional contexts interact dynamically to foster social entrepreneurship in responsible tourism. The research focuses on the Community Enterprises Development for Ecotourism in Tung Yee Peng, Krabi Province, Thailand, and is based on qualitative analysis of 20 stakeholder interviews supported by direct observations and document reviews. The findings reveal that social entrepreneurship is driven by the interaction of individual-level factors such as value-driven motivation, ethical leadership, and environmental awareness; organizational-level factors such as participatory governance, social capital, and external networks; and institutional-level factors such as cultural and religious norms, institutional voids that stimulate innovation, and policy recognition. The results indicate that the dynamic interconnection among these levels, rather than the influence of any single factor, is essential for sustaining socially embedded tourism enterprises. Social entrepreneurship functions as an integrative mechanism that transforms motivations and resources into tangible outcomes of community empowerment, environmental conservation, and community resilience. The study enriches social entrepreneurship literature by provides practical guidance for policymakers, community leaders, and businesses aiming to develop responsible and sustainable tourism models.