Thai ICT Workforce Characteristics in Enhancing Learning Organization

Abstract

This paper aims to present the results of a research study conducted to identify thedesirable characteristics of the ICT workforce in enhancing learning organizations. The Delphi methodwas 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 theresearch tools for collecting data.. The content analysis and descriptive statistics (median and theinterquartile range) were used for interpreting the data from the Delphi method. In the fi rst round, asemi-structured questionnaire was used and two sets of forced-choice questionnaires were employed forcollecting the experts’ opinions in the second and third rounds. The data from the fi rst round were contentanalyzed as a basis for administering the questionnaires in the second and third round. The researchfi ndings identifi ed three desirable characteristics of ICT workforces that can support the organization tobecome a learning organization, especially in Thailand. The fi nding found 64 characteristics which weredivided into three groups: The fi rst group was desirable knowledge skills and abilities of ICT workforcesin enhancing learning organization or Personal Mastery (PM), consisting of 20 characters that weredivided into three groups. The second group was desirable attitudes, values, vision and personality of ICTworkforces in enhancing learning organization or Mental Model (MM), consisting of 18 characters that weredivided into four groups. The third group was desirable working behaviors (WB) of ICT workforces inenhancing learning organization, consisting of 26 characters that were divided into three groups, sharedvision, team learning and systems thinking. The benefi ts of this study will help determine the future focuson the development strategies for improving ICT workforces’ potential to ensure an enhanced learningorganization. Its fi ndings will affect the method determination on developing ICT human resourcesof Thailand and make the workplace stable. When the workplace is stable, it will affect the capacitydevelopment of the ICT industry which leads to the improvement of the country to be become a knowledgebasedsociety.

Keywords : ICT workforces, desirable characteristics, learning organization