DEVELOPING A MODEL TO ENHANCE THE COMPETENCE OF DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATORS IN THE 21ST CENTURY FOR DISTRICT CHIEFS IN NAKHON SI THAMMARAT PROVINCE

Abstract

The purposes of this research article were to 1) Examine the current conditions, desired conditions, and priority needs related to competencies; 2) Develop a competency enhancement model; and 3) Validate a competency enhancement model for 21st-century development administrators serving as district chiefs in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. The results of the needs assessment were used to develop the competency enhancement model and to examine its validity, appropriateness, feasibility, and usefulness. This study employed a Research and Development (R&D) design using a mixed-methods approach. The mixed-methods design was adopted to systematically integrate the quantitative findings from the needs assessment with the development of the competency enhancement model and the evaluation of its appropriateness. The research was conducted in three phases: 1) Needs assessment, 2) Model development through an expert seminar, and 3) Model validation by a panel of experts. The findings revealed three major results. First, the competency development process with the highest priority need was competency gap assessment, while the competency requiring the most urgent development was change leadership. These findings indicate that the development of district chiefs should begin with an assessment of competency gaps before appropriate development strategies are formulated. Second, the findings from the needs assessment led to the development of the LSGISCB Model, which comprises five major components. The model's distinctive feature is the systematic and continuous integration of the competencies required of 21st-century development administrators into the competency development process. Third, the validation results confirmed that the developed model demonstrated high levels of validity, appropriateness, feasibility, and usefulness. The model can serve as a practical framework for enhancing the competencies of district chiefs by strengthening change leadership, strategic management, collaborative governance, and area-based development in alignment with the demands of public administration in the 21st century.