Sustaining Competitive Advantage in the Tea Industry: A Case Study on Innovation, Quality Management, and Operational Efficiency in XYZ Tea Company

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-646-3_8How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Tea Industry; Sri Lanka; Innovation; Quality Management; Operational Efficiency

Abstract

The global tea industry is a significant contributor to economic growth, with Sri Lanka being one of the largest exporters of tea worldwide. In this context, maintaining a competitive advantage is crucial for Sri Lankan tea companies, especially as they face evolving consumer demands, market competition, and environmental sustainability challenges. This research explored how innovation, quality management, and operational efficiency contribute to sustaining a competitive edge in the Sri Lankan tea industry, focusing on XYZ Company, a prominent tea manufacturer.

This study adopted a qualitative case study approach, with data collected through semi-structured interviews from 12 authorities in XYZ Company, covering areas such as factory, field, and office. Thematic analysis revealed key themes: Product Innovation and holistic innovation management strategies, Standardization for Global Consistency, Sustainability through Efficiency, and Integrating Technology in Production. Further, the themes identified were: Adapting to Market Dynamics, Cultural and Organizational Resistance to Change, Balancing Tradition and Modernity, and Regulatory Compliance vs. Innovation Flexibility. These themes together illustrate the company’s integrated approach to innovation, quality management, operational efficiency, and the challenges and opportunities it faces in sustaining a competitive advantage. The findings suggested that XYZ Company has made significant progress in innovation and operational efficiency, but further potential exists through expanding product innovations, adopting holistic innovation management strategies, and increasing technological integration. These findings offered valuable insights for improving the competitive position of Sri Lankan tea companies in the global market.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - H. R. D. A. Priyantha
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/04/15
TI  - Sustaining Competitive Advantage in the Tea Industry: A Case Study on Innovation, Quality Management, and Operational Efficiency in XYZ Tea Company
BT  - Proceedings of the International Tea Symposium (InTSym100 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 127
EP  - 140
SN  - 2468-5747
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-646-3_8
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-646-3_8
ID  - Priyantha2026
ER  -