Participation in the Operation of Successful Community Financial Institutions in Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Abstract

     This research aimed : 1) to assess the level of participation in the operation of successful community financial institutions in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, 2) to examine the factors influencing member participation in institutional management, and 3) to propose guidelines for enhancing participation in the operations of other community financial institutions. A mixed-method research design was employed, involving four community financial institutions in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The qualitative component explored the guidelines of a sample group consisting of 10 people who were directly involved in the operation of community financial institutions in the area. The quantitative component collected data from 360 respondents using a structured questionnaire. Quantitative data were analyzed using statistical software to compute descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation), while inferential statistical analyses were conducted to identify the factors affecting participation in the successful operation of community financial institutions.
     The findings of the study were as follows : 1) The level of participation in the operations of successful community financial institutions in Nakhon Ratchasima Province showed that the overall participation level of members in these successful institutions, based on the mean and standard deviation, was at a high level ( = 4.27) 2) The factors influencing participation in the management of successful community financial institution members in Nakhon Ratchasima Province revealed that background factors including age, primary occupation, and social status significantly affected participation. Among environmental factors, only the factor related to borrowing from the community financial institution was found to have a statistically significant effect on participation 3) Guidelines for promoting participation in the operations of other community financial institutions were proposed as follows : (3.1) Community financial institutions should establish clear operational plans and ensure member participation in the planning process. (3.2) Community financial institutions should provide awards or recognition to outstanding members who perform well, comply with regulations, or actively participate. (3.3) Community financial institutions should allocate a portion of their profits to organize community activities that support community self-reliance. and (3.4) Community financial institutions should conduct lesson-learned reviews and analyze various activities to enhance and further develop organizational capacity.