Determinants of Superior Long-Term Business Performance in Thai Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: An Integrated Analysis Using Fuzzy Rough Set Theory and Second Order Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear Authors,

Your proposed paper to the journal Sustainability is actual and of importance to the research field. However, there are some improvements needed, as described below.

First, the theoretical background could be improved. While the discussion of the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework is relevant, incorporating additional literature on the application of Fuzzy Rough Set Theory in similar contexts would strengthen the conceptual foundation of the research.

Second, the articulation of research questions and hypotheses needs greater clarity. While the research methodology is robust, a more explicit presentation of the study’s objectives and hypotheses would enhance comprehension for the reader. Clearly outlining these elements at the beginning of the methodology section would improve the paper’s structure.

Third, the discussion of findings is well-integrated with theoretical concepts, but additional elaboration on the practical implications of the results would be beneficial. Specifically, further discussion on how Thai SMEs can implement the suggested strategies in real-world settings would add value to the study’s contributions.

Fourth, while the empirical results are clearly presented, the manuscript would benefit from a deeper engagement with recent high-impact studies on digital entrepreneurship and SME performance. Incorporating additional contemporary sources would strengthen the study’s relevance and position within the broader literature.

Fifth, the conclusion section could be expanded to include a more detailed discussion of the study’s limitations and future research directions. While the conclusions are supported by the results, a more explicit exploration of potential constraints and areas for future investigation would enhance the paper’s scholarly contribution.

 

Wish you godd luck with the paper!

 

Author Response

Dear Editor-in-Chief,

We sincerely thank you and the reviewers for their valuable and constructive feedback on our manuscript. We have carefully addressed all comments and made substantial revisions to improve the quality of our paper. Below is our detailed response to each reviewer's comments;

Comments 1: "First, the theoretical background could be improved. While the discussion of the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework is relevant, incorporating additional literature on the application of Fuzzy Rough Set Theory in similar contexts would strengthen the conceptual foundation of the research."

Response 1: Thank you for pointing this out. We agree with this comment. Therefore, we have enhanced the theoretical background section by adding a comprehensive discussion of Fuzzy-Rough Set Theory and its applications (lines 192-203). Specifically, we have:

• Added detailed explanation of the integration between Fuzzy Set Theory and Rough Set Theory, highlighting their complementary strengths
• Incorporated foundational works by Pawlak (1981) and Zadeh (1965)
• Explained how the hybrid approach enhances uncertainty handling and pattern recognition
• Included new references to support our theoretical discussion

These revisions can be found in Section 2.6, line 192-203 of the revised manuscript.

 

Comments 2: "Second, the articulation of research questions and hypotheses needs greater clarity. While the research methodology is robust, a more explicit presentation of the study's objectives and hypotheses would enhance comprehension for the reader."

Response 2: Thank you for this valuable suggestion. We have improved the clarity of our research questions and hypotheses in Section 2 by:

• Added a clear statement of research objectives examining seven critical elements of business performance in Thai digital SMEs
• Explicitly outlined our seven hypotheses and their relationship to the TOE Framework and additional factors
• Included a comprehensive conceptual framework (Figure 1) that visually represents the relationships between variables
• Enhanced the methodology section with a clear explanation of how fuzzy logic and rough set theory are integrated to test these hypotheses

The revised text provides a more structured presentation of our research objectives and can be found in Section 2 (lines 84-94), specifically in the opening paragraphs where we outline the study's scope and theoretical framework. We have also ensured that each hypothesis is clearly linked to our conceptual framework and research objectives.

 

Comments 3: "Third, the discussion of findings is well-integrated with theoretical concepts, but additional elaboration on the practical implications of the results would be beneficial."

Response 3: Thank you for this constructive feedback. We have enhanced the practical implications of our findings by adding detailed elaboration in lines 561-573 of the revised manuscript. Specifically, we have:

• Added a new subsection focusing on practical implementation strategies for Thai SMEs
• Included specific examples and actionable guidelines for implementing the suggested strategies
• Provided detailed discussion of how our findings can be translated into real-world business practices
• Enhanced the connection between theoretical findings and practical applications

These revisions strengthen the practical value of our research and provide clear guidance for Thai SMEs looking to implement our recommendations. The expanded discussion can be found in Section [5], lines 561-573 of the revised manuscript.

Comments 4: "Fourth, while the empirical results are clearly presented, the manuscript would benefit from a deeper engagement with recent high-impact studies."

Response 4: Thank you for this suggestion. We have strengthened the literature base by:

• Added 12 recent (2023-2024) high-impact studies on digital entrepreneurship
• Updated literature review section with contemporary sources (pages 6-8)
• Enhanced discussion section with current research findings

Comments 5: "Fifth, the conclusion section could be expanded to include a more detailed discussion of the study's limitations and future research directions."

Response 5: Thank you for this valuable suggestion. We have significantly expanded our discussion of limitations and future research directions in lines 592-609. Specifically, we have:

• Added comprehensive methodological limitations including:
• Sample composition limitations (44% small enterprises with revenue <50M Baht)
• Sector limitations (exclusion of manufacturing industries)
• Strategic framework constraints (focus on cost leadership and differentiation)
• Environmental assessment limitations (limited to customer and competitor factors)
• Included five specific directions for future research:
  • Expansion to larger SMEs and manufacturing industries
  • Integration of additional strategic frameworks
  • Broader external environment analysis
  • Implementation of mixed-methods approaches
  • Conducting longitudinal studies

These additions provide a more thorough scholarly discussion of the study's boundaries and future research opportunities, addressing the reviewer's concerns about explicit exploration of constraints and future investigation areas. 

All changes have been highlighted in red in the revised manuscript for easy reference. We believe these revisions have significantly improved the quality and clarity of our paper. We look forward to your feedback on these changes and please see the attachment for revision

 

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

[Tanyatron Paweehirunkrai]

Authur

College of Digital Innovation Technology Rangsit University

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors In this paper authors have looked into Thai digital businesses to identify the success factors using rough set fuzzy theory and second order confirmatory factor analysis. The abstract is well written and concisely describes the problem and contribution of the work. The research question needs to be clearly defined in the introduction section. In the introduction section following improvements are suggested

• Last paragraph should provide outline of the complete paper.
• Explain why there is a need to integrate TOE and additional factors, a scientific rational is required.

Authors need to make the case clear that how the topic is aligned with the sustainability, better to include a paragraph in the introduction section as well. The theoretical framework section refers to some relevant constructs, but there is a lack of literature to highlight the knowledge gap. Need to enhance related work by adding more literature. Research question and knowledge gap remain unclear. The paper lacks related work, it is recommended to add a related work section and make the knowledge gap clear.    Research methodology is well explained. Can you include the complete names instead of abbreviations in Figure 1, or add a table for better readability? Research methodology is well explained. All table and figures need to be called out in text, the data presented in tables and figures need to be explained in text as well. In the discussion section add sections of theoretical implications as well as managerial implications.

Author Response

Dear Editor-in-Chief,

We sincerely thank you and the reviewers for their valuable and constructive feedback on our manuscript. We have carefully addressed all comments and made substantial revisions to improve the quality of our paper. Below is our detailed response to each reviewer's comments;

Comments 1: "The research question needs to be clearly defined in the introduction section. Last paragraph should provide outline of the complete paper."

Response 1: Thank you for this valuable feedback. We have enhanced the introduction section by clearly defining our research question and providing a comprehensive paper outline. Specifically, we have:

• Added an explicit research question: "What are the key determinants influencing the superior long-term business performance of digital SMEs in Thailand?"
• Outlined our mixed-method research approach combining quantitative and qualitative assessments
• Clarified the study's objectives in developing and validating an integrated framework
• Detailed the expected contributions to both theory and practice
• Identified key stakeholder benefits and broader implications for Thailand's digital economy

 

These revisions provide a clearer roadmap for readers and strengthen the paper's structural coherence. The updated text can be found in the introduction section's concluding paragraph (pages [1], lines [69-83]).

Comments 2: "Explain why there is a need to integrate TOE and additional factors, a scientific rational is required."

Response 2: Thank you for this suggestion. We have strengthened the scientific rationale for integrating TOE with additional factors in Section 1 (lines 57-65) by:

• Added empirical evidence showing integrated approaches achieve 40% higher performance outcomes than single-factor approaches in Thai SMEs
• Included statistical support demonstrating 30% higher survival rates for Thai SMEs with strong entrepreneurial orientation during market disruptions
• Provided comprehensive literature support through references [9-14] establishing the crucial nature of integrated frameworks
• Demonstrated clear knowledge gaps in current understanding of Thai SMEs' long-term performance post-digital adoption
• Connected the integration necessity to specific Thai context and government initiatives

The scientific rationale for this integration has been detailed in the theoretical framework section, specifically addressing how the combination of TOE with social media adoption, business strategy, product innovation, and entrepreneurial orientation creates a more robust framework for analyzing Thai SMEs' digital transformation success.

Comments 3: "Authors need to make the case clear that how the topic is aligned with the sustainability."

Response 3: Thank you for this suggestion. We have strengthened the alignment between our research and sustainability by adding quantitative evidence and clear connections in the manuscript. Specifically, we have:

• Added comparative analysis showing Thailand's digital transformation success rates relative to Singapore and Malaysia
• Included recent research data (2022-2024) demonstrating:
  • 35% increase in operational efficiency for Thai SMEs implementing sustainable digital practices
  • 28% improvement in stakeholder satisfaction
  • 25% increase in market share when digital transformation aligns with sustainability initiatives
• Connected our research to Thailand 4.0 policy initiatives and ESG performance
• Provided empirical evidence through references [6-8] supporting the link between digital transformation and sustainability outcomes

These additions clearly demonstrate how our research contributes to sustainable business practices and can be found in Section [1] lines (41-51), specifically addressing the integration of digital transformation with sustainability initiatives.

Comments 4: "Can you include the complete names instead of abbreviations in Figure 1, or add a table for better readability?"

Response 4: Thank you for this suggestion. We have improved clarity by:

• Updated Figure 1 with complete names section 3 lines 210

Comments 5: "All table and figures need to be called out in text, the data presented in tables and figures need to be explained in text as well."

 

Response 5: Thank you for this observation. We have enhanced the presentation by:

• Added proper in-text citations for all tables and figures section 4 lines 379,-391 and lines 442-445 and lines 505 - 518
• Enhanced the connection between text and visual elements

 

 

All changes have been highlighted in red in the revised manuscript for easy reference. We believe these revisions have significantly improved the quality and clarity of our paper. We look forward to your feedback on these changes.

 

Thank you for your consideration.

 

Sincerely,

[Tanyatron Paweehirunkrai]

Authur

College of Digital Innovation Technology Rangsit University

 

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors,

your paper is considerably improved according to my suggestions. Therefore I suggest to accept it.

 

Wish you good luck with the paper!

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Authors have responded to the comments well and paper has improved.