Opportunity discovery, maximisation and advancement: a qualitative study from Vietnam’s car dealership industry

Purpose The purpose of this study is illuminate how company leaders operating in the car dealership industry manage opportunities and transformational steps to adapt to their highly competitive business environment. Embracing the underpinnings of entrepreneurial discovery theory and dynamic capabilities, the study is situated in Vietnam, an emerging market, and focuses on a company case. Design/methodology/approach Open-ended, semi-structured interviews were conducted with company leaders, including managers and directors, in an emerging market setting. Qualitative content analysis and data structure methods were used to analyse the data. Findings In recognising future opportunities, several strategic antecedents are prioritised, including modernising the supply chain and responding to competitors’ actions. Maximising opportunities primarily depends on hiring new staff, conducting more in-house training and investments. However, two paradoxes hamper this process: capacity constraints while growth continues and improving efficiencies while maintaining proven successful standards. The further development of staff and skills and the adoption of new technologies are key drivers of evolution. The analysis elucidated 10 dimensions, resulting in a proposed conceptual model. Originality/value The emanating dimensions and a resulting conceptual model constitute the study’s main demonstration of originality and value. They contribute to a deeper understanding of opportunity recognition and maximisation, and subsequent business evolution, and can guide future research endeavours in emerging market contexts in the car dealership or other industries. Similarly, the study’s findings add to the extant body of the literature, thereby partly narrowing an extant research gap.