Research article

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Empirical Impact of Competition Rivalry, Knowledge Management, Learning Climate, Readiness to Change, and Innovation on Performance of Siam Commercial Bank Branches Krittakorn Galyarat Pages 1 - 24    Download PDF  Article preview Cite Abstract The objectives of this research are 1) to investigate factors that have influence to group of different performance branches of Siam Commercial Bank PLC. (SCB) in learning organization context; 2) to develop a causal model for SCB branches having different performance under learning organization context; and 3) to study patterns of knowledge management and learning climate for SCB branches of different performance group. Population of the study covers all 938 branches of SCB in Thailand (as of 31 December 2008). The study utilizes both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. For quantitative research, questionnaire is the study tool. Four hundred and thirty responding branches can be classified into high performance group of 221 branches and low performance group of 209 branches. For qualitative research, in-depth interview of managers and observation on operations are carried out for selected 20 branches comprising 8 ? high performance and 12 ? low performance. SPSS version 16.0 and AMOS version 7.0 is used for analyzing confirmatory factor analysis and causal relationships of structural equation. For the high performance branches (n=221), it is found that its causal structural model complies with empirical data ( = 142.39, df = 119, / df = 1.197, ns, GFI = .942, CFI = .994). Competition rivalry has direct influence to knowledge management ( = .79, p < .001) and learning climate ( = .93, p < .001); and indirect influence to performance through mediation of knowledge management and learning climate. Knowledge management is found having negative direct influence to performance ( = -.89, p < 0.01) and indirect influence to performance through mediation of innovation and readiness to change. Learning climate has direct influence to performance ( = .36, p < .05) and indirect influence to performance through mediation of innovation. It is concluded that the model can explain 92.9% of the performance variation. In addition, further investigation shows that the negative influence of knowledge management to the performance causes effect only to employee satisfaction variable. Therefore, knowledge management that focuses rather on process than realization of its value would cause the reduction of employee satisfaction. For the low performance branches (n=209), it is found that its causal structural model complies with empirical data ( = 113.772, df = 94, / df = 1.210, ns, GFI = .950, CFI = .994). Competition rivalry has direct influence to knowledge management ( = .87, p < .001) and learning climate ( = .97, p < .001). Knowledge management has no influence directly to performance, but indirectly through mediation of readiness to change; also learning climate has no influence directly to performance. It is concluded that the model can explain 91.8% of the performance variation. The article ends with implications and recommendations of this study which are applicable to Siam Commercial Banks and other organizations.
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Study of Desired Leader Behaviors of Gen Y Teerawat Anantavorasakul and Pachsiry Chompukum Pages 25 - 50    Download PDF  Article preview Cite Abstract Currently, Generation Y (the ones who were born in 1977-2000) are marching in to the workplace as the new workforces. Generation Y?s attitude toward works and their lifestyles differ from those of the prior generations in the workplace and may effect to opinions about their leader?s behavior. Therefore, this study aims to study style of leadership and leader?s behaviors desired by Generation Y and also study the effect of Generation Y?s personal factors on desired leadership style by using questionnaires to collect data from 415 Generation Y in Thailand. Result of the study reveals that the delegating style is the most desired and the behavior that provide staff with clear responsibilities and allow them to decide how to accomplish them is the most desired leader behavior. The other desired leadership styles are coaching, facilitating and directing style respectively. In addition, some personal factors such as age, income and position ranking effect desired styles.
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The Role of Thai HR Practitioners in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): A Stakeholder Management Perspective Dhanakorn Mulaphong Pages 51 - 84    Download PDF  Article preview Cite Abstract Three hundred and sixty-eight Thai human resources (HR) practitioners were surveyed to investigate the factors influencing their realization of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and to explore how they provided value or responded to the key organizational stakeholders. By using a stakeholder management theory to the study, the results of structural equation modeling indicated that knowing external business realities (i.e., technology, economics and regulatory issues, and workforce demographics) affecting the realization of CSR in Thai HR practitioners. As hypothesized, Thai HR practitioners could deliver value to the key organizational stakeholders (i.e., customers, organization and managers, and employees). Further, the realization of CSR played a full mediating role in the relationship between knowing external business realities and delivering value to the key organizational stakeholders. Implications for both theory and practice were discussed.
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Perception of female leadership among subordinate in female dominated organization Piraya Boonyasatid and Pachsiry Chompukum Pages 85 - 105    Download PDF  Article preview Cite Abstract The independent study was conducted to examine attitude of subordinates toward female leadership and the advantages and disadvantages of working under female management that are ways to study and develop the potential of women in good leadership in the future. The study employed questionnaire as a tool to collect data. Sample was 346 people working in government offices, private enterprise employees and educational institution in Bangkok area. Findings reveal subordinates? attitudes toward female leaders are mainly in a good way, especially in relationship between female leaders and their colleagues. However, some characteristics of female managers that are perceived in low average are the motivation, emotional control and the ability to suggest how to solve unplanned problems or support the use of technology in operations. In terms of the pros and cons of working under a female supervisor, female supervisors are perceived to have both good and bad behavior, such as taking care subordinates in work and personal matters, focusing on the resolution accuracy of the results of operations, being careful and being concern in detail of both the job and non-job issues. Moreover, mostly they do not decisive because they do not take risk. Also, they spill their personal matters with the work and are emotional disturbances.
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Senior Volunteers: A Human Capital in Thai Society Saratid Sakulkoo, Jamnean Joungtrakul and Ron Markwordt Pages 106 - 126    Download PDF  Article preview Cite Abstract The grounded theory strategy applied in this research made a significant contribution to the knowledge of the important roles senior volunteers play in Thai society and revealed the benefits to the society, as well as to the volunteers themselves. This study applied a qualitative research approach in order to assemble and assess descriptions of Thai senior volunteers. Purposive sampling and theoretical sampling was used to identify 33 participants who had experience of volunteering at the Brain Bank. Data were collected from in-depth, semi-structured interviews of the participants. Grounded theory interviewing played a significant role in this study as it is a powerful methodology for the purpose of building theory from data. Based on the ATLASti software program and manual coding into categories, the findings are presented in a tentative model, Success of Volunteering as Active Aging Model (S-VVA Model).
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Feedback Giving and Receiving Impacting on Employees Performance: A Case Study of Siam Cement (Kaeng Khoi) Co.,Ltd. Anya Piampratom Pages 127 - 159    Download PDF  Article preview Cite Abstract This research aims to study feedback between supervisors and employees during the annual performance evaluation process. To study factors related to feedback that affect the performance of employees. And to offer supervisors and employees guidance for giving and receiving feedback. The data were collected by questionnaire from supervisors and employees of Thai Siam Cement (Kaeng Khoi) Co., Ltd. A total of 370 participants can be divided into 38 supervisors and 332 employees. The results indicate that supervisors and employees gave and received feedback during the evaluation performance. Both supervisors and employees have a positive attitudes towards giving and receiving feedbacks. Factors related to the feedback that impact on the performance of the employees are feedback avoiding behavior, supervisors? effective feedback, supervisors? attitude toward feedback, directive leadership and position time of subordinate. The guidelines for giving and receiving feedback: supervisors must be sincere, committed and focus on the process; prepare the information. The feedbacks must be true and able to be reasonably implemented. The employee must be open to feedback, not be too defensive. They must see the value of the feedback and implement them afterwards. The effective feedback must be specific, explained by using clear examples, pertinent to the work and reasonably implementable. The organization should arrange a feedback process during the employee? performance evaluation at least twice year and arrange supervisor and employee in giving and receiving feedback.