HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT IN LEARNING FOR BUSINESS COMPETITION IN LOCAL AREA TOWARD KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study 1) personal factors that affected knowledge society, and 2) human resource development in learning aspect that influenced knowledge society.

This research was a survey research and the sample group was 400 people who resided in Thailand. The questionnaires were the research tool used to collect data using Quota Sampling Method. Data were collected from 5 different regions in Thailand which were Northern, Southern, Eastern, Northeastern, and Central regions. Statistics used to analyze data were descriptive statistics including percentages, frequencies, means, and standard deviation; and inferential statistics including Independent Samples t-test, One-way ANOVA, LSD, and Multiple Linear Regression at the statistical significant level of 0.05. The depth interviews were conducted to collect detailed information.

The research results found that most of the respondents were females, age 26-35 years old, certificate or vocational level of educational level, domicile in all regions of Thailand which were central, northern, southern, eastern, and northeastern region for 20 percent of the sample size. Human resource development in learning was in the high level of importance in total aspect and followed in order by the aspects of traits, self-concept, skill, knowledge, and motive. Knowledge society was in the high level of importance in total aspect and followed in order by the aspects of activities that promote learning, leisurely learning, knowledge management, and learning sources.

The hypothesis results demonstrated that gender affected knowledge society in total aspect and in the aspects of leisurely learning and knowledge management. Age affected knowledge society in the aspects of activities that promote learning and knowledge management. Educational level affected knowledge society in total aspect and in the aspects of learning sources and knowledge management. Domicile affected knowledge society in total aspect and in the aspects of learning sources and leisurely learning. Human resource development in learning about knowledge, self-concept, trait, and motive influenced knowledge society in total aspect with 38.80% of ability to predict and the multiple regression coefficient value (R) was 0.627. The important recommendations from the results were provided for human resource development and the proper activities for local area to further develop towards knowledge society.