Abstract:
This Ph.D. thesis on the equity in remuneration management for teaching staff of Rajabhat Universities in Northern Thailand aimed to examine: (1) the system or state of the remuneration management for the teaching staff; (2) the factors influencing the teaching staffs remuneration management; (3) the results and effects of the remuneration management for teaching staff and students; (4) the guidelines for the equity of remuneration management system; and (5) the teaching staffs satisfaction towards the remuneration management. The study was based on both qualitative and quantitative research methods collecting the data from documentary resources, opinion reflections using in-depth interviews, group conversations, and surveys. The research sites included the four Rajabhat Universities located in Northern Thailand; namely, Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Lampang Rajabhat University, and Uttaradit Rajabhat University. The findings of the study are presented as follows.
The systematization of teaching staffs remuneration management of Rajabhat Universities located in Northern Thailand appeared similar. These institutions salaries were mainly on the salary payment regulations legitimated by the Office of Civil Service Commission. It was stated that the initial rank of the government servants salary together with the increase according to the cabinets
approval on the 1st of June and 31st of August 1998 would be 1.7 times for teaching staff and 1.5 times for supporting staff. However, all the Rajabhat Universities in the targeted area were unable
to pay the salary as officially claimed by the cabinet. The average increase paid by these universities appeared around 1.3 times of the total salary. On the additional services and fringe benefits appeared inferior to those of the governmental services, for example; they have neither paid the remuneration for another 1 time for the academic rank nor the yearly bonuses, except Uttaradit Rajabhat University, together with the staging of salary 2 times a year was ignored and the health-care services and medicines were provided with low quality from the social welfare insurance.
The factors influencing the remuneration management appeared that the Rajabhat Universities located in Northern Thailand considered that the input factors for staging the staffs salary mainly based on the equity system: responsibilities, performances, qualifications, and working performance results, followed by incentives, and academic works; while living expenses and payment as set by laboring marketing rate were not considered. Moreover, the payment based on equal pay for equal work, human capital, sufficiency, security of life, governmental policy, remuneration structure, and capability in payment was legally practiced.
The guidelines for remuneration management equity included: (1) it needs to set up the same standard level of staff initial salary level in every university; (2) the other remunerations besides salary should be provided to the staff similarly to those of the governmental officials; (3) the working performance evaluation should be done by all involved parties as 360 degree-feedback; (4) the social welfare insurance system is needed to be improved or allowed the university to implement the activity; (5) the teaching staff club should be promoted; and (6) the remuneration management is needed to be administrated by all involved stakeholders.
On the staffs satisfaction, it appeared that most of them were satisfied with the remuneration payment at a moderate level as a whole. However, the low level of satisfaction was found in the role of guiding or disputing in remuneration since the money received does not match with the standard criteria. For the effects on remuneration equity, they included: the staff have more incentive motivation and they devote to work efficiently and effectively. Subsequently, the students performance will be satisfactorily high that produces the high quality of graduates for working market and build up good reputation for the university.