Abstract:
The objectives of this researchwere to 1) study the paradigm of temple management in the age of globalizationin Nakhon Sawan and Phichit provinces 2) study the factors affecting temple management and 3) propose approachesto improve the paradigm of temple management. This research used mixed methods of research which combined both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The qualitative research was conducted by (1) in-depth interviewing of 30 key informants composed of 18 sangha administrators and 12 Buddhists who were experts in religion. They were selected by purposeful sampling. The data were analyzed by content analysis and interpretation and provided variables from the in-depth interviews to construct questionnaires for the analysis of the quantitative approach (2) organizing focus group discussions of 13 participants composed of 7 sangha administratorsand 6 Buddhists who were experts in religion. They werealso selected by purposeful sampling andthey were not the same group as the one used for the in-depth interviews. The data were analyzed by content analysis and interpretation. Thequantitative research was conducted by studying a sample of 385 respondentswho were selected from a population of 10,268. It comprised of231 abbots,monks and novicesfrom Nakhon Sawanand 154 from Phichit. The sample size was obtained by calculationsusing Taro Yamanes formula and were selected by stratified random sampling and simplerandom sampling. The tool for data collecting was a 4-level rating scale questionnaire at a reliability level of 0.789.The data were analyzed using statistics composed of percentage, mean, standard deviation, and stepwise regression analysis. The research findings were as follows: 1) The paradigm of temple management in the age of globalizationin Nakhon Sawan and Phichit provinces had concepts of temple management which were patterned and progressed with modernity (1) the paradigm of a democratic regime (2) the paradigm of leadership development in the age of globalization (3) the paradigm of Dhamma propagation using information technology systems (4) the paradigm of creating happiness and hygiene in the communities and (5) the paradigm of attending to and deterring all vices. 2) The factors affecting the paradigm of temple management ranked by partial regression coefficient from the highest to the lowest, were the factor of administration, the factor of budgeting, the factor of education setting, the factor of rules and regulations and the factor of Dhamma propagation, respectively. These 5 factors explained 71.51 percent of the variation (R2 = 0.7151). 3) The proposed approaches for improving the paradigm of temple management were as follows (1) establishing the sangha administration council within temples based on a democratic regime (2) balancing the budgets of temples which emphasize governance principles (3) establishing schoolsin templescyclically and supporting education intheir own communities (4) seriously practicing on Dhamma-Vinaya under the central administration of the sangha and (5) using modern media for the propagation ofBuddhism.