Developing Creative Products by Adopting Local Wisdom of Natural Resource Deployment in Communities Located near Chulabhorn Dam A Case Study of Mae Somsri Processed Fresh Water Fish Community Enterprise at Tung Lui Lai Sub-district, Kon San District, Chaiyaphum Province

Abstract

            The main purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to examine the product context as well as needs and problems of entrepreneurs owning businesses near Chulabhorn dam by using Mae Somsri Processed Fresh Water Fish Community Enterprise located at Tung Lui Lai sub-district, Kon San district, Chaiyaphum province as a case study, and 2) to design products, brand, and packaging for this case study. The target group of this study was the entrepreneurs running their businesses near Chulabhorn dam who had potentiality for product development and production. The data were collected from documents and fieldworks employing a survey and a questionnaire. The data were analyzed to establish a framework for the product creation, and the results were reported descriptively to illustrate the product design.

            The results revealed that the products found in the research site were produced by community enterprises, which depended mainly on local raw materials and labor. The target market was Kon San district market, Chaiyaphum province. It was found, however, that the enterprises did not have their own brands, resulting in customers’ lower recognition of the products, and that they did not have appropriate and effective advertising campaigns to attract target customers. Based on the findings of the study, a framework for creative product development was developed. The main focus was to design brands for the products of the community enterprises to increase customers’ product recognition. In addition, new products were suggested to increase the attractiveness of the products of these enterprises as well as to expand the markets. Finally, brand was specially designed for each product adopting the local wisdom of utilizing the community’s resource to create an identity for the products and the communities around Chulabhorn dam.