SUCCESS DRIVERS: THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES AND GROUP MANAGEMENT IN COMMUNITY ENTERPRISES IN THE UPPER CENTRAL REGION

Abstract

          This research aimed to 1) assess the roles and competencies of community enterprise leaders in Thailand’s Upper Central Region, 2) analyze the group management processes of successful community enterprises, 3) examine the relationship between leadership competencies and community enterprise success, and 4) propose a new knowledge framework for improving community enterprise management to enhance organizational efficiency and sustainability. A mixed-methods research design was employed. The quantitative phase involved 395 Using proportional stratified random sampling by province and qualitative research, 17 key informants were selected using purposive sampling, based on their knowledge, experience, and roles related to the management and operation of community enterprise. Data were collected using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis and thematic synthesis, whereas quantitative data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression analysis.
          The findings indicated that overall leadership competency was at a low level. Opportunity competency was the weakest dimension, reflecting limited capability
to identify market opportunities, develop economic initiatives, and establish external collaborative networks. Relationship competency showed deficiencies in communication, participation, and conflict management, while conceptual competency lacked systems thinking and long-term strategic planning. Overall group management was also rated
at a low level (M = 2.36, SD = .78), as was community enterprise success (M = 2.24,
SD = .74). Nevertheless, group management demonstrated a very strong positive relationship with community enterprise success (r = .940, p < .01), with the control management dimension showing the strongest association. Likewise, overall leadership competency (M = 2.55, SD = .67) was strongly correlated with enterprise success
(r = .947, p < .01). Stepwise multiple regression analysis identified control management (X1), opportunity competency (X2), and conceptual competency (X3) as the strongest predictors of community enterprise success. The regression model showed excellent predictive performance (R = .982, R² = .965, Adjusted R² = .964, SE = .223), explaining 96.50% of the variance in organizational success (F = 222.399, p < .01). The unstandardized prediction equation was Ŷ = 0.964 + 0.821(X1) + 0.651(X2) + 0.121(X3), while the standardized equation was Z = 0.793(X1) + 0.614(X2) + 0.273(X3). The study synthesized these findings into a new conceptual framework, the “3C Leadership and Control Model,” comprising three integrated components: Control Management, Opportunity Competency, and Conceptual Competency. The model emphasizes that sustainable community enterprise success depends on the integration of effective internal control systems with leaders’ abilities to recognize opportunities and think strategically. This framework provides both a theoretical contribution and a practical guideline for strengthening the performance, competitiveness, and long-term sustainability of community enterprises.