An Approach for Logistics Cost Reduction to Increase Income of the Community Occupation Groups in Bangplee District, Samutprakarn Province

Abstract

The purposes of this research were 1) to study logistics cost of the community occupation groups in Bangplee district, Samutprakarn province, and 2) to study an approach for logistics cost reduction of the community occupation groups in Bangplee district, Samutprakarn province. The research was a mixed-methods research, consisting of quantitative and qualitative research.  The quantitative sample were selected from the leaders or delegates (n=144) of the community occupation groups registered under OTOP for studying logistics cost.The qualitative sample were the 28 key informants recruited for studying an approach for logistics cost reduction of the community occupation groups.  The tools used for data collection were questionnaires and in-depth interview forms. The descriptive statistics namely frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were employed to analyze the data. The research findings found that the overall participants’ opinion about logistics cost reduction of the OTOP community occupation groups was at a moderate level, in aspects of the administration cost (=3.20), the inventory carrying cost (=3.11), the warehousing costs   (=3.06), and the transportation cost (=3.02) were at a moderate level.  In addition, the overall participants’ opinion about the thirteen logistics activities of the OTOP community occupation groups was at a high level (=3.51). The concrete guidelines of an approach for logistics cost reduction were transportation cost reduction, inventory carrying cost reduction, warehousing cost reduction, and administration cost reduction.