The causal relationship model among fund management and the strength of village fund influence the self-reliance of members: a case study of Ban Huai Thuan Village Fund, Chonburi province
Abstract:
This study aimed to: 1) develop a causal relationship model between fund management and fund strength that influences members' self-reliance in Huai Twan Village Fund; 2) analyze and validate the consistency of the causal relationship model with empirical data; 3) examine the weights of direct effects, indirect effects, and total effects of causal factors affecting members' self-reliance; and 4) explore approaches for promoting fund management and fund strength to enhance members' self-reliance in the National Village and Urban Community Fund Office, Branch 11. For this study, a mixed-methods research design was employed, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative approaches. In the quantitative phase, the sample consisted of 260 members of the Ban Huai Thuan Village Fund. The research instrument was a questionnaire with reliability coefficients of 0.984 for fund management variables, 0.968 for fund strength variables, and 0.978 for members' self-reliance variables. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The qualitative component involved in-depth interviews with 12 key informants, including administrators from the National Village and Urban Community Fund Office, Branch 11, and village fund chairpersons. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis and analytical induction.
The findings revealed that the developed causal relationship model demonstrated good fit with empirical data, as evidenced by fit indices: ?? = 54.847, df = 42, p-value = 0.0883, ??/df = 1.305, CFI = 0.996, TLI = 0.992, RMSEA = 0.034, SRMR = 0.026.
The path analysis indicated that both fund management and fund strength had significant direct effects on members' self-reliance at the 0.01 level, with standardized coefficients of 0.189 (p < 0.01) and 0.734 (p < 0.01), respectively. Fund management demonstrated a significant direct effect on fund strength with a coefficient of 0.837 (p < 0.01). Regarding indirect effects, fund management significantly influenced members' self-reliance through fund strength mediation with a coefficient of 0.614 (p < 0.01). The total effects analysis revealed that fund management had the highest total effect coefficient of 0.803 (p < 0.01), followed by fund strength at 0.734 (p < 0.01).
The study identified strategies for enhancing fund management, including: (1) capacity development for committee members during preparation and implementation phases; (2) technology utilization for efficiency enhancement; (3) establishment of control measures and mechanisms; (4) effective fund administration emphasizing transparency, accountability, and operational flexibility, coupled with intra-community collaboration and inter-sectoral cooperation. Strategies for strengthening fund resilience encompassed: (1) knowledge transfer and succession; (2) systematic committee transition mechanisms; and (3) village fund value development.