Developing a Community Enterprise Consultant Network for Isan

Problem statement: Developing a Community Enterprise Consultant Network for Isan (Northeast Thailand) is a Participatory Action Research with the purpose: (1) Study the current situation, problems and needs of community enterprises in Northeast Thailand (2) Create a benchmark process in the development of community enterprise consultant network. (3) Create partnerships. (4) Provide training and knowledge to community enterprise consultants and create an information system database for the network. (5) Create regulations and principles for the network. The pilot research project was carried out by the combined support of The Research Unit and Community Development and Knowledge Management Team, Faculty of Education. Approach: Mahasarakham University and the Department of Industrial Promotion. 54 consultants were chosen for the project. The research was divided into 9 steps and the model for developing community enterprise consultant network was performed in 3 phases of participatory action research which included 20 development activities. Results: Preliminary assessments revealed that 80% of the participating 54 community enterprise consultants in Northeast Thailand lack educational and community analysis skills before the training. After the training, 20 consultants received A’s, 16 received B’s, 4 received C’s and 16 received D’s. The training activities, knowledge and skill enhancement activities provided the consultants with understanding of the tools required to analyze communities and develop community enterprises at a practical level. Each zone successfully implemented an experimental development plan for their designated research area and the participants were highly satisfied with the learning activities as a whole at X = 4.19. Conclusion: These factors enabled the participants to gain knowledge, experience and skills. It also created confidence in becoming the community’s enterprise consultant which will lead to strengths in all aspects and becoming a good consultant. An electronic information database and statistical documents was uploaded to the research unit’s web site at < http://www.edu.msu.ac.th >.