Strategic ecosystem modeling of the E-sports Industry for sustainable social development in Thailand

Porntiva Niparin, Anamai Damnet

Article ID: 8532
Vol 4, Issue 2, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.23812/ssd8532

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Abstract

The research seeks to explore the complex factors that shape the E-sports industry in Thailand to create a viable source of national revenue while aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The research uses a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design, incorporating qualitative thematic research from 11 strategic stakeholders and quantitative Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze data from 360 registered E-sports athletes. The qualitative research results indicate that Government Promotion, which involves legislation and subsidies, is the fundamental catalyst for Technology Acceptance and Management Innovation. The quantitative results from PLS-SEM confirm the structural integrity of the research model and demonstrate a high level of model fitness. Notably, the quantitative results indicate that Intercultural Communication is the most influential factor in the development of the E-sports industry, with a beta weight of 0.67, highlighting the international nature of digital ecosystems. Government Promotion, on the other hand, demonstrated a significant indirect effect of 0.93, indicating its role as the bedrock of the entire research model. The article seeks to synthesize research findings and develop a strategic framework that integrates proactive, corrective, preventive, and reactive policy approaches to foster a viable E-sports industry in Thailand while promoting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 8 & 9).


Keywords

E-sports ecosystem; sustainable social development; technology acceptance; management innovation; intercultural communication


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