THE EFFECTIVENESS MANAGEMENT OF MEDITATION CENTER

Abstract

The main objects of this dissertation were: (1) To study the effectiveness of Meditation Center (2) To study the factors that influence to the effectiveness of Meditation Center (3) To study the ways to promote the effectiveness of Meditation Center.

            This dissertation was mixed method research of both qualitative and quantitative.  For qualitative research it is to study documents, depth interviews of the 18 qualified persons and focus group discussion of 9 qualified persons by analyzing all data and describing the context.  For quantitative research  it is used the analytical study of the data from a sample of 181 people based on  a computer  application for research, descriptive statistics namely the frequency, percentage, average  and standard deviation.

            The results of this study were concluded as fallows:

1.  The effectiveness of management of Meditation Center, the best resolution that should be chosen for the purposes (1) The Planning : Putting the right competent man into the right job, Providing the suitable building and comfortable place for praying, chanting and doing walking and sitting meditation, Setting  the clean and enough conveniences  for eating  such as  tables, chairs, food containers  etc., the toilet rooms, bathrooms for  taking bath and  showering, a place to sleep and the bedrooms for sleeping  including the cars parking. The maintenance of all equipments should be arranged, kept clean enough and  preserved  in order as well. The budget of the Meditation Center also should be suitably planned in both short term and long term, in both proactively and reactively.  (2) The Organizing : the administrative structure of  the Meditation Center should be concluded as follows : The Chief  President  or  Director, the Executive committees, Head of Meditation Practice, Head of Dhamma Instruction and Special Activities, Head of  Buildings, Head of Food and Beverage, Head of cleanliness and security and The Secretary of the Meditation Center. The assignment and personnel changes  in organization should  be  managed  appropriately. the Executive committees meeting  from time to time should be set as well to get feedback  and  to realize how fix the problem.  (3) The Directing : The cues to facilitate all practitioners  by arranging the Meditation retreat manual book,  managing the monthly project and annual project, promoting  and  training  the staffs  to become the competent  and valuable persons, the orientation training their service mind to become the volunteers,  setting the systematic evaluation of their works to create their morale,  promoting the appropriate  workflow of Meditation practical project based on  budgeting and coordinating with the other agencies. (4) The Controlling: Checking and rewinding the rules and regulations of Meditation Center, producing a summary of the operating results for the period and the year. Having set the internal security system of the Meditation compound. Financing supervisory and the documents should  be  reported  monthly and annually to the managers as  the rules. Monitoring all equipments and premises to be ready use; water supply system, electricity, restrooms, bathrooms, bedrooms, practical  rooms and other necessities. Checking out how the personnel are working; Meditation Masters, staffs, officials and practitioners.
2.  The factors effecting to the effectiveness of management of Meditation Center. The management is influenced by the Four Paths of Accomplishment or the basses of success (4 Iddhipadas). These  are  incentive for  the people to become the volunteers: (1) Aspiration (Chanda): The proxy is used to select the right man for the right job. Encouraging the staffs to work for the consecration of Lord Buddha and the Royal charity. Motivating the staffs  to become the volunteers. (2) Perseverance (Viriya): Persistent promoting accountability, increasing the staffs’ s knowledge, training their working skills and changing their mind to volunteers taking care of and developing the Meditation Center until  it meet the target. (3) Thoughtfulness (Citta): Intending to develop the Meditation Center based on attentive and critical mind of working on policies and programs. (4) Investigation (Vimamsa): Reasoning the start of work, realizing the strength, discovering the weakness and the problem of working then searching  for  problem resolution and selecting the best way to develop all sources of organization to meet the objects.
3.  The promoting ways to the effectiveness of management of Meditation Center or The Four Suitable Things for mental development (4 Sappayas). The management can be successful of the promoting ways. They are most impotent for fulfilling the effectiveness of management of Meditation Center : (1) The Suitable Abode (Avasa-Sappaya): (2) The Suitable Food (Ahara-Sappaya): The promotion of suitable food is the way to be successful in management. All kinds of food should be enough clean and tasty with a unique favor  condiment for all persons. The cooks should be trained well in cooking, roasting and grilling.  All food should be enough managed for Meditation Master, Practitioners and all Staffs in the practical center. (3) The Suitable Persons (Puggala-Sappaya): The Meditation Master, Practitioners and all Staffs should be well trained by developmental promotion of seminar and workshop that suitable for their activities and works. (4) The Suitable Meditation Teachings  (Dhamma-Sappaya): The supervise of  effective teaching  is to be promoted as the 4 Buddha’s Styls of Teaching; Elucidation and verification (Sandassana), Inspiration towards the goal (Samadapana), Encoragement or Urging (Smuttejana) and Gladdening, Exhilaration, Filling with delight and joy Sampahamsana).