Exploring Rural Social Entrepreneurship: Ukkrit Farm Hill’s Approach to Sustainable Community Development

Authors

  • Jirapong Ruanggoon Dhonburi Rajabhat University Faculty of Management Science, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47540/ijqr.v4i3.1721

Keywords:

Agritourism, Rural Social Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Development

Abstract

This research explores the role of rural social entrepreneurship in promoting sustainable community development, focusing on Ukkrit Farm Hill as a case study. The study highlights the unique challenges faced by rural enterprises, such as geographical isolation and limited resources, which necessitate distinct strategies for success. Employing a qualitative case study approach, the research integrated in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis to gather rich, contextual data from various stakeholders, including the farm owner, community members, and tourists. The findings reveal that Ukkrit Farm Hill effectively combines agritourism, sustainable agriculture, and community engagement, fostering economic resilience and social cohesion. This integrated approach not only enhances income diversity but also strengthens community ties and ecological stewardship. The study concludes that rural social enterprises can create sustainable solutions by leveraging local resources and fostering community involvement, thereby bridging the gap in existing literature on rural entrepreneurship and contributing to the attainment of sustainable development goals.

References

Ahmad, S. Z., Jabeen, F., & Khan, M. (2014). Entrepreneurs choice in business venture: Motivations for choosing home-stay accommodation businesses in Peninsular Malaysia. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 36, 31–40.

Akkoyunlu, S. (2015). The potential of rural–urban linkages for sustainable development and trade. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Policy, 4(2), 20–40.

Andéhn, M., & L’Espoir Decosta, J. N. P. (2021). Authenticity and product geography in the making of the agritourism destination. Journal of Travel Research, 60(6), 1282–1300.

Arora, M., Dhiman, V., & Sharma, R. (2023). Exploring the dimensions of spirituality, wellness and value creation amidst himalayan regions promoting entrepreneurship and sustainability. Journal of Tourismology, 9(2), 86–96.

Bandi, V., Sahrakorpi, T., Paatero, J., & Lahdelma, R. (2022). The paradox of mini-grid business models: A conflict between business viability and customer affordability in rural India. Energy Research & Social Science, 89, 102535.

Barman, D. P. (2024). The ethical frontier: Integrating IKS for sustainable economic development. MSW Management Journal, 34(1), 228-238.

Belotto, M. (2018). Data analysis methods for qualitative research: Managing the challenges of coding, interrater reliability, and thematic analysis. The Qualitative Report. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2018.3492

Bichler, B. F., Kallmuenzer, A., Peters, M., Petry, T., & Clauss, T. (2022). Regional entrepreneurial ecosystems: How family firm embeddedness triggers ecosystem development. Review of Managerial Science, 16(1), 15–44.

Biddulph, R. (2018). Social enterprise and inclusive tourism: Five cases in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Tourism Geographies, 20(4), 610–629.

Birt, L., Scott, S., Cavers, D., Campbell, C., & Walter, F. (2016). Member checking: A tool to enhance trustworthiness or merely a nod to validation? Qualitative Health Research, 26(13), 1802–1811.

Boley, B. B., & Green, G. T. (2016). Ecotourism and natural resource conservation: The ‘potential’ for a sustainable symbiotic relationship. Journal of Ecotourism, 15(1), 36–50.

Bruce, A. B. (2019). Farm entry and persistence: Three pathways into alternative agriculture in southern Ohio. Journal of Rural Studies, 69, 30–40.

Candra Susanto, P., Yuntina, L., Saribanon, E., Panatap Soehaditama, J., & Liana, E. (2024). Qualitative method concepts: Literature review, focus group discussion, ethnography and grounded theory. Siber Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary, 2(2), 262–275.

Chowdhury, A., & Shil, N. C. (2021). Thinking ‘Qualitative’ through a case study: Homework for a researcher. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 5(2 (In Progress)), 190–210.

Christensen, S. (2017). Seeding social capital? Urban community gardening and social capital. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 5(3), 104–123.

Chu, V. H. Y., Lam, W.-F., & Williams, J. M. (2023). Building robustness for rural revitalization: A social-ecological system perspective. Journal of Rural Studies, 101, 103042.

Conz, E., Denicolai, S., & De Massis, A. (2024). Preserving the longevity of long-lasting family businesses: A multilevel model. Journal of Management and Governance, 28(3), 707–744.

Dana, L.-P., Gurău, C., Hoy, F., Ramadani, V., & Alexander, T. (2021). Success factors and challenges of grassroots innovations: Learning from failure. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 164, 119600.

Deshmukh, P., & Tare, H. (2023). Green marketing and corporate social responsibility: A review of business practices. Multidisciplinary Reviews, 7(3), 2024059.

Diaz-Sarachaga, J. M., & Ariza-Montes, A. (2022). The role of social entrepreneurship in the attainment of the sustainable development goals. Journal of Business Research, 152, 242–250.

Donkoh, S. (2023). Application of triangulation in qualitative research. Journal of Applied Biotechnology & Bioengineering, 10(1), 6–9.

Dushkova, D., & Ivlieva, O. (2024). Empowering communities to act for a change: A review of the community empowerment programs towards sustainability and resilience. Sustainability, 16(19), 8700.

Fusch, P., Fusch, G. E., & Ness, L. R. (2018). Denzin’s paradigm shift: Revisiting triangulation in qualitative research. Journal of Social Change, 10(1).

Gajić, T., Petrović, M. D., Blešić, I., Radovanović, M. M., Spasojević, A., Sekulić, D., Penić, M., Demirović Bajrami, D., & Dubover, D. A. (2024). The contribution of the farm to table concept to the sustainable development of agritourism homesteads. Agriculture, 14(8), 1314.

George, G. R., & M. J., J. (2023). A review of sustainable commercialization of farm tourism and the farmer’s community development. International Journal of Management, Technology, and Social Sciences, 184–205.

Grillini, G., Streifeneder, T., Stotten, R., Schermer, M., & Fischer, C. (2025). How tourists change farms: The impact of agritourism on organic farming adoption and local community interaction in the Tyrol-Trentino mountain region. Journal of Rural Studies, 114, 103531.

Jia, X., & Desa, G. (2020). Social entrepreneurship and impact investment in rural–urban transformation: An orientation to systemic social innovation and symposium findings. Agriculture and Human Values, 37(4), 1217–1239.

Khazami, N., & Lakner, Z. (2021). Influence of social capital, social motivation and functional competencies of entrepreneurs on agritourism business: Rural lodges. Sustainability, 13(15), 8641.

Kumar, S., Hasija, N., Kumar, V., & Sageena, G. (2023). Ecotourism: A holistic assessment of environmental and socioeconomic effects towards sustainable development. Current World Environment, 18(2), 589–607.

Li, J., & Barbieri, C. (2020). Demystifying members’ social capital and networks within an agritourism association: A social network analysis. Tourism and Hospitality, 1(1), 41–58.

Liu, Y., Dai, L., Long, H., Woods, M., & Fois, F. (2022). Rural vitalization promoted by industrial transformation under globalization: The case of Tengtou village in China. Journal of Rural Studies, 95, 241–255.

Mansour, A., Al-Ma’aitah, M., Deek, A., Alshaketheep, K., & Shajrawi, A. (2024). Societal sustainability consciousness and its influence on corporate responsibility uptake in Jordan’s business sector. Discover Sustainability, 5(1), 133.

Marson, F., Eagly, P., & Russell, O. M. (2023). Impact of social assistance programs on family economic welfare in urban environments: An analysis of equity and community engagement. Law and Economics, 17(3), 186–202.

Motulsky, S. L. (2021). Is member checking the gold standard of quality in qualitative research? Qualitative Psychology, 8(3), 389–406.

Mucunska, D., & Gjorgievski, M. (2023). Harnessing local wisdom: A cornerstone for rural tourism development. UTMS Journal of Economics, 14(2), 166-176.

Naeem, M., Ozuem, W., Howell, K., & Ranfagni, S. (2023). A step-by-step process of thematic analysis to develop a conceptual model in qualitative research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 22, 16094069231205789.

Noruzi, M. R., Westover, J. H., & Rahimi, G. R. (2010). An exploration of social entrepreneurship in the entrepreneurship era. Asian Social Science, 6(6), 3–10.

Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1), 1609406917733847.

Purnomo, S., & Purwandari, S. (2025). A comprehensive micro, small, and medium enterprise empowerment model for developing sustainable tourism villages in rural communities: A perspective. Sustainability, 17(4), 1368.

Rado, I., Lu, M.-F., Lin, I.-C., & Aoo, K. (2021). Societal entrepreneurship for sustainable Asian rural societies: A multi-sectoral social capital approach in Thailand, Taiwan, and Japan. Sustainability, 13(5), 2747.

Raja, S. S., Raju, V., Husnain, M., Sarfraz, S., Malik, F., & Raja, S. S. (2022). Framework for sustainable rural development through entrepreneurial initiatives in emerging economies. Sustainability, 14(19), 11972.

Snodgrass, J. G., Clements, K. R., Nixon, W. C., Ortega, C., Lauth, S., & Anderson, M. (2020). An iterative approach to qualitative data analysis: Using theme, cultural models, and content analyses to discover and confirm a grounded theory of how gaming inculcates resilience. Field Methods, 32(4), 399–415.

Steinerowski, A. A., & Steinerowska-Streb, I. (2012). Can social enterprise contribute to creating sustainable rural communities? Using the lens of structuration theory to analyse the emergence of rural social enterprise. Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 27(2), 167–182.

Stringer, L. C., Fraser, E. D. G., Harris, D., Lyon, C., Pereira, L., Ward, C. F. M., & Simelton, E. (2020). Adaptation and development pathways for different types of farmers. Environmental Science & Policy, 104, 174–189.

Stuart, J., Collins, P., Alger, M., & Whitelaw, G. (2016). Embracing sustainability: The incorporation of sustainability principles in municipal planning and policy in four mid-sized municipalities in Ontario, Canada. Local Environment, 21(2), 219–240.

Suchek, N., Ferreira, J. J., & Fernandes, P. O. (2022). A review of entrepreneurship and circular economy research: State of the art and future directions. Business Strategy and the Environment, 31(5), 2256–2283.

Sumandiyar, A. (2022). Capitalization and social transformation in the Grand Mall Maros, Indonesia. International Journal of Qualitative Research, 2(1), 77–81.

Suriyankietkaew, S., Krittayaruangroj, K., & Iamsawan, N. (2022). Sustainable leadership practices and competencies of SMEs for sustainability and resilience: A community-based social enterprise study. Sustainability, 14(10), 5762.

Tay, M.-J., Ng, T.-H., & Lim, Y.-S. (2024). Fostering sustainable agriculture: An exploration of localised food systems through community supported agriculture. Environmental and Sustainability Indicators, 22, 100385.

Teck, T. S. (2023). A study on capacity of rural social enterprise needs to be unlocked. International Journal of Professional Business Review, 8(5), e01211.

Van Twuijver, M. W., Olmedo, L., O’Shaughnessy, M., & Hennessy, T. (2020). Rural social enterprises in Europe: A systematic literature review. Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 35(2), 121–142.

Xiang, Z., Du, Q., Ma, Y., & Fan, W. (2017). A comparative analysis of major online review platforms: Implications for social media analytics in hospitality and tourism. Tourism Management, 58, 51–65.

Xu, W., & Zammit, K. (2020). Applying thematic analysis to education: A hybrid approach to interpreting data in practitioner research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19, 1609406920918810.

Yu, Y., Appiah, D., Zulu, B., & Adu-Poku, K. A. (2024). Integrating rural development, education, and management: Challenges and strategies. Sustainability, 16(15), 6474.

Yusuf, E. S., Wulandari, S., & Syukur, M. (2024). Agritourism development through leveraging financial support within the 4As framework. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1364(1), 012035.

Zainuddin Rela, I., Firihu, M., Awang, A., Iswandi, M., Malek, J., Nikoyan, A., Nalefo, L., Batoa, H., & Salahuddin, S. (2021). Formation of farming community resilience models for sustainable agricultural development at the mining neighborhood in Southeast Sulawesi Indonesia. Sustainability, 13(2), 878.

Zanin, A., Dal Magro, C. B., Kleinibing Bugalho, D., Morlin, F., Afonso, P., & Sztando, A. (2020). Driving sustainability in dairy farming from a TBL perspective: Insights from a case study in the West Region of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Sustainability, 12(15), 6038.

Zulu, L. C., Djenontin, I. N. S., Kamoto, J. F., Kampanje-Phiri, J. M., & Fischer, G. (2023). Do youth conceptualizations influence the inclusion of young people in sustainable agriculture intensification? Insights from Ghana and Malawi. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 25(12), 13909–13935.

Published

2025-03-30

How to Cite

Ruanggoon, J. (2025). Exploring Rural Social Entrepreneurship: Ukkrit Farm Hill’s Approach to Sustainable Community Development. International Journal of Qualitative Research, 4(3), 216-229. https://doi.org/10.47540/ijqr.v4i3.1721

Issue

Section

Articles