A Comparison of Service Recipient Satisfaction Based on Individual Characteristics and Guidelines for Improving the Quality of Research Administration Services of the Division of Research Administration and Academic Services, Kasetsart University Chalermphrakiat Sakon Nakhon Province Campus

Abstract

This study aimed to compare personal factors affecting service satisfaction among recipients of the Division of Research Administration and Academic Services at Kasetsart University, Chalermphrakiat Sakon Nakhon Province Campus, and to propose guidelines for improving service quality. The sample comprised 100 lecturers and academic support staff selected through purposive sampling. The research instrument was a structured questionnaire consisting of three sections: personal characteristics, satisfaction with services across five dimensions (research support, researcher development, research promotion, management, and communication and public relations), and recommendations. Content validity was evaluated using the Index of Item–Objective Congruence (IOC), yielding a value of 0.70. Reliability analysis using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient produced a value of 0.87, indicating acceptable internal consistency. Descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, were employed. Differences in mean scores were analyzed using t-tests and one-way ANOVA, and pairwise comparisons were performed using the Least Significant Difference (LSD) method. The findings indicated that respondents reported an overall high level of satisfaction with the services provided (= 3.83). Personal factors that significantly affected satisfaction levels included organizational affiliation and years of service. Pairwise comparisons revealed significant differences between the Faculty of Science and Engineering and the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Management Science, between the Faculty of Science and Engineering and the Chalermphrakiat Campus Office, and between personnel with fewer than three years of service and those with more than five years of service. Respondents affiliated with the Faculty of Science and Engineering and those with fewer years of service indicated a greater need for improvements in research support services, whereas respondents from the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Management Science, the campus office, and personnel with more years of service emphasized the need for enhanced research promotion services. Regarding the guidelines for improving service quality, the findings indicate that the quality of services provided by the research administration should be enhanced in three key areas: research support, research promotion, and the development of a research ecosystem, in order to align with the needs of service recipients.