RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SMALL AND MICRO COMMUNTIY ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT AND SUFFICIENCY ECONOMY PRINCIPLES ON THAI SILK PRODUCER GROUP, IN THE NORTHEASTERN OF THAILAND
Abstract:
The purpose of the research is to study the relationships between the
management of small and micro community enterprises (SMCE) and the philosophy of
sufficiency economy. This case study research is conducted at the SMCEs of silk
weaving groups in the Northeast of Thailand. The foci of the study are the management
(self-reliance, community capital management, and learning management) and the
sufficiency economy philosophy (moderation, reasonableness, and self-immunity of the
communities). Models of communities which are highly effective management of SMCEs
and sustainable practices of the sufficiency economy philosophy are also studied.
The population of the research are Comprised of 1,203 silk weaving groups
with 23,677 members in the northeastern region of Thailand. The simple random
sampling are used to draw 513 subjects out of 638 members who are heads,
committees, or members of the silk weaving groups
The findings are as follows:
1. The management of the SMCEs of the silk weaving groups in the Northeast of
Thailand (x =3.74), self-reliance (x= 3.98), community capital management (x= 3.69), and
learning management (x= 3.69) were at the High level.
2. The sufficiency economy philosophy based operations of the silk weaving
groups in the Northeast of Thailand were at the High level. The operations based on
the principles of moderation (x= 4.01), reasonableness (x= 3.86), and community selfimmunity
(x = 3.80) were also at the High level.
3. The results of the hypotheses testing on the relationships between the
management of SMCEs and the philosophy of sufficiency economy are detailed as
follows:
Hypothesis1 Self-reliance, community capital management, and learning
management would be related with community moderation.
It was found that the management of the SMCEs of the silk weaving groups
in the Northeast of Thailand was related with the community moderation principle of the
philosophy of sufficiency economy at the High level (canonical correlation = 0.838).
Hypothesis 2 Self-reliance, community capital management, and learning
management would be related with community reasonableness.
It revealed that the relationship between the aspects was at the High level
(canonical correlation = 0.828).
Hypothesis 3 Self-reliance, community capital management, and learning
management of would be related with community self-immunity.
It was proven that the relationship between the aspects was at the High
level (canonical correlation = 0.793).
4. The results of the study of model communities with highly effective
management of SMCEs and sustainable practices of the sufficiency economy philosophy
are as follows: The analysis of the pathways of the relationship between self-reliance,
and learning management of the model communities and the community moderation
principle under the sufficiency economy philosophy showed that community moderation
was directly affected by the SMCE management, but indirectly affected by self-reliance
and learning management.