Abstract:
The objectives of this study were to 1) study the effectiveness of Thai Women Empowerment Fund policy implementation for women quality of life development in the area of the central province group 2) study the factors affecting the effectiveness of Thai Women Empowerment Fund policy implementation for women quality of life development in the area of the central province group and 3) suggest for improvement the factors affecting Thai Women Empowerment Fund policy implementation for women quality of life development in the area of the central province group. The approach of concurrent mixed methods research was applied by combining of qualitative and quantitative research. The qualitative research was conducted by the tools of 1) documentary research 2) in-depth interviewing of 27 key informants who were responsible in policy, implementation and area level into 2 groups; the government officials in the Community Development at provincial and district level, the committee and members of the funds which selected by purposive sampling. The data were analyzed by analytic induction and interpretation. The quantitative research was conducted a sample of 400 respondents of the government officials in the Community Development Department at provincial and district level, the committee and members of the funds. The sample size was derived by Taro Yamanes formula. The tool for data collecting was a 5 level rating scale questionnaire at a reliability of 0.91 and the data were analyzed by statistics comprising percentage, mean, standard deviation and stepwise regression analysis.
The research findings were as follows:
1) The effectiveness of Thai Women Empowerment Fund policy implementation in overall and all aspects was at the high level and in each aspect as ranked from a highest mean to the lowest mean were (1) the policy success especially the members easily accessed the funds, increasing the income and enhancing the economic strength. (2) The aspect of equality, justice and sustainable development and (3) the aspect of satisfaction on the quality of life of members, respectively.
2) The factors affecting the effectiveness of Thai Women Empowerment Funds policy implementation composed of (1) the factor of this policy in overall and all aspects was at the high level and ranked from the highest mean to the lowest mean were the aspect of policy clarification, the aspect of operation resources, the aspect of capable of policy implementation and the aspect of measurable and evaluable policy, respectively. (2) the factor of this policy implementation in overall and all aspects was at the high level and ranked from the highest mean to the lowest mean were the aspect of the leadership of members, the aspect of agencies of policy implementation, the aspect of operational monitoring and evaluating, the aspect of participation, the aspect of resources management, the aspect of leader characteristics and the aspect of coordinating and communicating, respectively. The variables of this policy comprising the aspect of measurable operation, the resources of operation could explain the variation of the overall effectiveness of policy 35.10 % (R2 = 0.351) at a statistical significance of 0.05. The factors of the Thai Women Empowerment Funds policy implementation comprising the aspect of resources management, the aspect of members participation, the aspect of operational monitoring and evaluating and the aspect of coordinating and communicating could explain the variation of the overall effectiveness of policy 52.00 percent (R2 = 0.520) at a statistical significance of 0.05.
3) The appropriate suggestion to improve the factors affecting Thai Women Empowerment Fund policy implementation composed of (1) the factor of policy should improve and develop the potential of committee in area level and monitored or audited the money in order to prevent the objective terrains as well as the provincial committee rigid inspected and installed the evaluation system (2) the factors of policy implementation comprising the aspect of agencies of policy implementation namely the Community Development should closely check the money withdrawal in order to correct the objectives, enhancing the knowledge and understanding of rules and regulations, creating the more potential leadership and extended the women roles towards the community leaders for sustainable development based on self reliance.
The proposed synthesis model based on CP+RM+2E = 2SE comprising (1) the Coordinating and Participating, (2) Resource in operating and Management (3) Evaluating in policy and Monitoring in implementation level and (4) the outcomes comprising the Success, Satisfaction and Equality.