Sustaining SMEs Wood-based Product Manufacturing through Best Practices – The Case of Indigenous Entrepreneurs in Kelantan

Due to stiff competition, only a small number of indigenous or Bumiputera SMEs manufacturing entrepreneurs are able to sustain in wood-based products in Malaysia. Therefore, this paper investigates on what and how sustaining entrepreneurs practicing their best in managing firm resources. The Resource-based View theory is used as a underpinning of the study. This study used qualitative research approach where a score of successful entrepreneurs in wood-based products throughout the state of Kelantan were approached and interviewed. The state of Kelantan was chosen not only because it has one of the highest percentages of indigenous entrepreneurs in the industry, but also due to the reason that it is a well-known state for its entrepreneurship. All transcripts of interviews were analyzed by using qualitative software - Nvivo 9. The study found that successful indigenous entrepreneurs in the said industry employed the best practices or strategies which suit to customer interests such as the ability to produce quality products, offer reasonable prices, good customer services, time factors, and a good networking especially with families, suppliers and government agencies. Based on the results, this paper suggested several recommendations that can help indigenous entrepreneurs in wood-based products to sustain and improve their current practices.