A Product Branding Training Program to Reskill and Upskill Entrepreneurs

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to 1) develop a training program to develop and enhance product branding skills for entrepreneurs, 2) evaluate the training program to develop and enhance product branding skills for entrepreneurs, and 3) study the results of implementing the training program to develop and enhance product branding skills for entrepreneurs. This research employed a research and development approach using mixed methods. The data sources consisted of 387 entrepreneurs who completed the questionnaire, 6 experts and organizational administrators who participated in in-depth interviews, 5 experts who evaluated the training program, and 33 training participants. The research instruments were a questionnaire, an in-depth interview form, a training program quality evaluation form, a pretest and posttest knowledge assessment, and a satisfaction evaluation form. Data were analyzed using content analysis, percentages, means, and standard deviations, together with a descriptive comparison of pretraining and posttraining scores. The findings showed that content analysis of the interview data synthesized four areas of need for branding skill development: brand identity, brand essence, brand positioning, and creative brand concept development. These findings were considered together with documentary, research, and questionnaire data to determine the components of the training program. The developed training program consisted of three parts: the background and details of the training program, five learning units, and a conclusion and appendices. The overall quality of the training program, as evaluated by experts, was at the highest level (X̄ = 4.86, S.D. = 0.21). After the training, the mean score of the Start Up/registered juristic person group increased from 12.86 to 20.90, while that of the community enterprise/One Tambon One Product group increased from 7.42 to 12.75. The participants’ overall satisfaction with the training program was at a high level (X̄ = 4.27, S.D. = 0.63). These findings indicate that the training program has appropriate components and can be used for entrepreneur training.