Thai ICT Workforce Characteristics in Enhancing Learning Organization

Abstract

This paper aims to present the results of a research study conducted to identify the desirable characteristics of the ICT workforce in enhancing learning organizations. The Delphi method was used to serve the research objective. Purposive sampling was used to sample the 19 ICT experts. Three questionnaires with reliable questions for the three rounds of data collection were used as the research tools for collecting data. The content analysis and descriptive statistics (median and the interquartile range) were used for interpreting the data from the Delphi method. In the first round, a semi-structured questionnaire was used and two sets of forced-choice questionnaires were employed for collecting the experts’ opinions in the second and third rounds. The data from the first round were content analyzed as a basis for administering the questionnaires in the second and third round. The research Finding identified three desirable characteristics of ICT workforces that can support the organization to become a learning organization, especially in Thailand. The finding found 64 characteristics which were divided into three groups: The first group was desirable knowledge skills and abilities of ICT workforces in enhancing learning organization or Personal Mastery (PM), consisting of 20 characters that were divided into three groups. The second group was desirable attitudes, values, vision and personality of ICT workforces in enhancing learning organization or Mental Model (MM), consisting of 18 characters that were divided into four groups. The third group was desirable working behaviors (WB) of ICT workforces in enhancing learning organization, consisting of 26 characters that were divided into three groups, shared vision, team learning and systems thinking. The benefits of this study will help determine the future focus on the development strategies for improving ICT workforces’ potential to ensure an enhanced learning organization. Its findings will affect the method determination on developing ICT human resources of Thailand and make the workplace stable. When the workplace is stable, it will affect the capacity development of the ICT industry which leads to the improvement of the country to be become a knowledgebased society.