THE PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH ON ENHANCING COMPETITIVE POTENTIAL IN COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE OPERATION IN NAKHONRATCHASIMA PROVINCE

Abstract

This participatory action research was for the enterprises competitively strength in Nakhon Ratchasima, designed to reinforce the research agenda. The purpose of this research was to 1) study the context of business management, community and related development, 2) strengthen the competitiveness, and 3) integrate research development in the participatory action, using qualitative and quantitative research methodology and collecting data from personnel of community enterprises, personnel of relevant agencies and university staff. Each group of three community workers, in total of 96 participants and each of the two related organizations, in total of 64 participants from 16 districts in Nakhon Ratchasima, 20 representatives from development agencies and 4 university personnel were selected. They were collected as a qualitative data using a structured interview with deep interviews, analyzing the data by quantitative and qualitative models used the Likert method, IOC test revealed at 0.88-0.93, and the reliability was 0.91. The descriptive statistics were percentage, mean, and standard deviation descriptively. The research found the advantages of leadership, planning, organization structure, coordination and networking, and the appropriate allocation of remuneration. Key supports showed the strong promotion of the government and the market’s demand of the increased community promotion. The major obstacle also found in the economic decrease. There was competition among both community and private entrepreneurs at all level which lead to the development of the business group’s plans in order to guide and support their group by using this research results.