Promoting the Use of technology in the digital society to Raise Income Community Enterprise in Kanchanaburi Province

Abstract

                The objectives of this research were: 1) to study the problems and needs of using technology in a digital society to raise the income of community enterprises in Kanchanaburi Province, 2) to develop an appropriate approach for using technology in a digital society to raise the income of community enterprises in Kanchanaburi Province, and 3) promoting the use of appropriate digital technology to raise the income level of community enterprises in Kanchanaburi Province, using mixed methods research. Quantitative research was conducted using a questionnaire from a sample of 291 participants, including entrepreneurs and members of community enterprises in Kanchanaburi Province by multi-stage random sampling. And Qualitative research involves conducting focus group discussions with entrepreneurs and members of community enterprises that have products registered as OTOP, experts from academic disciplines specializing in management, accounting, digital technology, marketing, as well as communication and public relations, and related personnel from government agencies from Provincial Community Development Office of Kanchanaburi, Office of Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion and Kanchanaburi Provincial Agricultural Extension Office, totaled 12 people. Quantitative data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, including percentage, mean, and standard deviation. and qualitative data were used for content analysis. The findings were as follows: 1) the problematic state of using technology in a digital society to raise community enterprise income. Overall, all aspects moderate, the need for technology in a digital society to raise community enterprise income overall aspects, 2) Guidelines for using digital technology to raise income of community enterprises is Smart Community Enterprises: 3E’s Model, i.e., Easy: easy to use, Effective: good (effective), and Engage: participate, and 3) evaluation results of training to promote the use of digital technology to raise community enterprise income. Overall, all aspects at the highest level. The feedback and recommendations reveal that entrepreneurs and members of community enterprises face challenges regarding their skills in photography and videography for product presentations. There are no product reviews on online platforms, and a lack of knowledge and understanding about product quality standards. As a result, this prevents the ability to present narratives through online social media reviews. There is a demand for utilizing digital technology for inventory and raw material management through computer systems. The use of digital technology serves as an intermediary for purchasing and selling, establishing online stores, and conducting online marketing. Comprehensive knowledge about online marketing is sought to enhance their income by elevating their understanding of online marketing strategies. The guidelines for using digital technology to raise income of community enterprises in Kanchanaburi province should entail a participatory and practical training approach. This approach should be conducted through a user-friendly digital platform, catering to older entrepreneurs or community members. Additionally, upon implementation, it should demonstrate a high level of effectiveness and foster active engagement between entrepreneurs or members and the platform used.