Capacity Development of Community Occupational Groups Based on the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy: A Case Study of the Doormat Weaving Group in Ban Hua Nong Maha Sarakham Province

Abstract

This research consists purposes were 1. to investigate the level of capacity of the Ban Hua Nong community occupational group engaged in doormat weaving in Maha Sarakham Province 2. to enhance the capacity of the community occupational group in terms of knowledge, production skills, product development, management and marketing based on the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy 3. to examine the effects of capacity development on the grassroots economy, particularly with respect to income generation and community strengthening and 4. to investigate the satisfaction and participation of community occupational group members in the development process. This study employed a quantitative research design. The research instrument was a structured questionnaire. The sample consisted of 70 members of the Ban Hua Nong doormat weaving community occupational group, selected through purposive sampling. The data collected from the questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that 1) the overall capacity of the community occupational group was at a high level (x̄ = 4.20, S.D. = 0.58), with the knowledge and production skills dimension obtaining the highest mean score 2) capacity development increased the average monthly income of group members from THB 2,500 to THB 3,800, representing an increase of 52% 3) capacity development had positive effects on the grassroots economy, particularly in terms of income generation, group strengthening and self-reliance and 4) the members' overall satisfaction with the development process was at a high level (x̄ = 4.44, S.D. = 0.52).