Business Sustainability and the Future of Keropok Lekor Enterprises in a Changing Market Landscape

Abstract

Traditional food enterprises are increasingly challenged to preserve their cultural identity while developing the capabilities required to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving business environment. This study investigates how technology adoption, marketing strategy, and entrepreneurial skills contribute to business sustainability within Malaysia’s keropok lekor industry, a culturally embedded sector where traditional production knowledge increasingly intersects with digitalisation, changing consumer expectations, and intensified market competition. Using a quantitative empirical approach, the study evaluates the relationships between these strategic capabilities and the ability of traditional enterprises to sustain their operations and remain commercially viable. The findings reveal a compelling pattern in which entrepreneurial skills emerge as the most influential driver of business sustainability, highlighting the critical role of managerial competence, opportunity recognition, resource coordination, problem solving, and business decision making. Technology adoption also demonstrates a meaningful contribution, suggesting that appropriately integrated technologies can strengthen operational efficiency and support sustainable business development without compromising traditional product identity. Marketing strategy is positively associated with sustainability, reinforcing the commercial importance of market visibility, customer engagement, and contemporary channels for reaching consumers. Collectively, the findings advance the understanding of sustainability in traditional entrepreneurship by demonstrating that enduring businesses are not sustained by heritage alone. Their future viability depends on the ability to transform traditional strengths into contemporary competitive capabilities while retaining the authenticity that distinguishes them in the marketplace.