HUMAN BEHAVIOR, DEVELOPMENT and SOCIETY

Social Media’s AI Ethics, Digital Literacy, and AI Trust: Could These Lead to Positive Health Behavior?

Chanadda Petchprayoon — 2026-05-07

Aim/Purpose: This study investigated the mediating roles of Artificial Intelligence (AI) ethics and AI trust in the relationship between digital literacy and positive health behavior among Thai working-age individuals. The research sought to address a gap in existing literature by integrating these constructs within the context of social media use for health-related purposes.

Introduction/Background: Social media is now a primary source of health information in Thailand, with AI-driven recommendation algorithms tailoring content to user profiles and behaviors. While such personalization can improve relevance, it also raises concerns about misinformation, selective exposure, and over-reliance on automated systems. Digital literacy, defined as the ability to locate, evaluate, and use digital content effectively, enables users to navigate such environments more critically. Similarly, AI ethics, which includes accountability, transparency, fairness, and security, can influence how individuals engage with AI-mediated platforms. AI trust, which refers to the willingness to rely on AI recommendations, may encourage adoption but could also reduce active health decision-making when it is excessive or uncritical. Despite substantial research on these constructs in other contexts, there is limited empirical evidence in Thailand. This study addresses this gap by examining their direct and indirect relationships with positive health behavior among Thai working-age adults.

Methodology: A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed. Data were obtained from 420 Thai working-age individuals through a structured online questionnaire administered via Google Forms. A multi-stage sampling procedure combining cluster and quota sampling was applied. First, Bangkok districts were stratified into three zones: inner, middle, and outer. Four districts were then randomly selected from each zone, followed by the recruitment of 35 participants from each selected district through quota sampling. Inclusion criteria required Thai nationality, current residence in one of the selected districts, and active use of social media.

Four instruments were used for measurement. Digital literacy was assessed using a 14-item scale. Perceptions of AI ethics were measured using a 16-item scale, comprising four dimensions: accountability, responsibility, explainability, and security. AI trust was unidimensionally evaluated with an 11-item scale, covering functionality, benefits, and credibility. Positive health behavior was measured using a scale comprised four domains: nutrition, physical activity, relaxation, and preventive behavior. All items were rated on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5. Content validity was established through expert evaluation by five domain specialists, using Item–Objective Congruence. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to validate the measurement model for the three latent constructs: AI ethics, AI trust, and positive health behavior. Construct validity was confirmed prior to hypothesis testing. Structural equation modeling was then employed to examine the direct and indirect relationships among digital literacy, AI ethics, AI trust, and positive health behavior.

Findings: The structural equation model showed an acceptable fit to the empirical data (RMSEA=.07, SRMR=.06, TLI=.96, CFI=.98, PNFI=.63), satisfactory internal consistency (CR=.92–.95), and convergent validity (AVE=.75–.82). The structural model showed meaningful explanatory power across the endogenous constructs (R²=.64–.99). All hypothesized direct and indirect effects were statistically significant. Digital literacy and AI ethics both exhibited positive, statistically significant direct effects on positive health behavior. In contrast, AI trust had a statistically significant negative direct effect on positive health behavior (ß = -.49, p < .01), indicating that excessive reliance on AI systems may discourage proactive health engagement. Digital literacy was positively associated with AI ethics and AI trust; AI ethics was strongly and positively associated with AI trust (ß = .84, p < .01). Mediation analysis further revealed that AI trust significantly mediated the relationship between digital literacy and positive health behavior (ß = -.40, p < .01), as well as between AI ethics and positive health behavior (ß = -.41, p < .01), highlighting a paradoxical role of AI trust in health-related behaviors.

Contribution/Impact on Society: The findings highlight the importance of enhancing digital literacy and fostering perceptions of ethical AI in social media to support healthier behaviors in the workplace and beyond. The study suggests that over-reliance on AI systems, even when perceived as ethical, may lead to reduced active engagement in health-promoting behaviors. This underscores the need for balanced digital engagement and critical evaluation skills.

Recommendations: Governments and private organizations should collaborate to integrate digital literacy and AI ethics education into public health promotion initiatives. Health-related content on social media should be accompanied by transparency measures and user empowerment strategies to ensure informed decision-making.

Research Limitation: The study focused exclusively on Thai working-age individuals in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area, which may limit the generalizability of findings to other regions, age groups, or populations whose social, cultural, and digital environments differ substantially from those examined in this research.

Future Research: Future studies should examine additional mediators and moderators to better understand how trust in AI translates into positive health behavior, such as mindfulness, locus of control, and health literacy. Expanding the research to diverse populations and contexts would also enhance the applicability of findings.

Green Human Resource Management and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Mediating Role of Environmental Commitment in Thailand's Private Sector

Polwasit lhakard — 2026-05-07

Aim/Purpose: This study investigated how Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices shape Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) among employees in Thailand's private sector. Four GHRM dimensions—green recruitment and selection, green training and development, green performance management, and green pay and practices—were tested for their direct effects on extra-role environmental citizenship behavior to see whether environmental commitment mediated the relationship between GHRM practices and in-role behavior, clarifying the psychological mechanisms through which organizational green HR initiatives translate into voluntary employee behaviors.

Introduction/Background: Thailand’s rapid industrialization intensifies tensions between economic development and environmental preservation. Air pollution, inadequate waste management, and ecosystem degradation threaten public health and long-term economic sustainability, compelling organizations to embed environmental responsibility into core practices. GHRM has emerged as a strategic response, integrating environmental objectives across talent acquisition, competency development, performance evaluation, and reward systems. Despite growing global scholarly interest, empirical work remains concentrated in Western and Chinese contexts, leaving Southeast Asian countries like Thailand largely underexplored. Existing research has frequently tested only direct GHRM–behavior relationships, neglecting the intervening psychological processes that may explain them, and has disproportionately studied public sector organizations while the environmentally consequential private sector has received comparatively limited attention. This study addresses these intersecting gaps by examining GHRM’s influence on OCB through the mediating lens of environmental commitment, drawing on social exchange theory and the Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) framework as theoretical anchors.

Methodology: A cross-sectional quantitative survey was administered to 288 full-time private sector employees across manufacturing, services, retail, information technology, and financial services industries in Bangkok. Participants were recruited through HR managers at 10 mid-to-large-sized firms supplemented by professional network channels. Eligibility required full-time employment of at least 35 hours weekly, at least six months' organizational tenure, and age of 18 or older. A priori power analysis confirmed that 288 respondents would provide statistical power exceeding .80 to detect medium effect sizes. Self-administered questionnaires assessed GHRM practices across four validated subscales, environmental commitment using four items adapted from Raineri and Paillé (2016), and OCB through in-role and extra-role subscales adapted from Podsakoff et al. (2000) on 5-point Likert scales. Back-translation procedures ensured semantic equivalence of Thai-language items, and pilot testing confirmed acceptable reliability (Cronbach's α > .70) across all scales. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0 with a two-step structural equation modeling approach, and bootstrapping (5,000 resamples) was used to generate bias-corrected confidence intervals for indirect effects.

Findings: Measurement model assessment confirmed strong reliability (composite reliability: .899–.959), convergent validity (AVE: .748–.825), and discriminant validity (all HTMT ratios < .85). The structural model achieved acceptable fit (CFI = .94; TLI = .93; RMSEA = .06; SRMR = .058). Green recruitment and selection (β = .450, p < .001) and green training and development (β = .317, p < .05) significantly predicted environmental OCB, while green performance management (β = .044, p = .738) and green pay and rewards (β = .114, p = .460) produced non-significant results. The same two effective practices also significantly enhanced environmental commitment—green recruitment and selection (β = .412, p < .01) and green training and development (β = .289, p < .05)—whereas performance management and reward practices showed no significant effects. Environmental commitment demonstrated a significant positive relationship with in-role behavior (β = .308, p < .001).

Mediation analysis revealed that environmental commitment significantly mediated the green recruitment and selection–in-role behavior relationship (indirect effect = .127, 90% CI [.068, .186], p = .001) and green training and development–in-role behavior relationship (indirect effect = .089, 90% CI [.026, .152], p = .019). However, environmental commitment did not significantly mediate the green performance management–in-role behavior relationship or the green pay and reward practices–in-role behavior relationship; this suggested that evaluation and reward practices may influence in-role behavior through alternative mechanisms. These differential patterns indicated that upstream GHRM practices emphasizing values alignment and competency development more effectively cultivate citizenship behaviors than downstream evaluation and incentive mechanisms, a finding consistent with Thailand's collectivist cultural orientation, wherein internalized group norms outweigh individually targeted appraisal and monetary incentives.

Contribution/Impact on Society: This research extends social exchange theory and the AMO framework to environmental management in a developing economy, establishing environmental commitment as a critical psychological transmission mechanism linking green HR practices to discretionary employee behavior. By disaggregating GHRM dimensions and situating findings within Thailand’s cultural and institutional context, the study advances sustainable HRM theory and provides managers with actionable, evidence-based guidance for simultaneously strengthening environmental performance and organizational effectiveness.

Recommendations: Organizations should prioritize green recruitment by embedding environmental criteria in hiring procedures and articulating sustainability commitments in job postings. Environmental training should build awareness, competencies, and values through experiential and collaborative methods. Environmental commitment should be cultivated through leadership modeling, transparent communication about environmental performance, and employee participation in green decision-making. Performance management and reward mechanisms require substantive redesign incorporating meaningful, consistently applied environmental criteria. GHRM strategies should reflect both industry-specific requirements and the cultural values prevalent in Thai workplaces.

Research Limitations: Three principal limitations warrant consideration. The cross-sectional design precluded causal inference. Exclusive reliance on self-reported measures raises concerns about common method bias and social desirability effects, despite procedural and statistical mitigation efforts. Convenience sampling concentrated in Bangkok limits generalizability to Thailand’s broader private sector. The exclusive focus on environmental commitment as a mediator also overlooked alternative psychological mechanisms—such as green self-efficacy and organizational identification—that may account for additional explained variance in OCB.

Future Research: Longitudinal designs would strengthen causal claims, while multi-source data incorporating supervisor ratings and objective environmental metrics—such as energy consumption and waste reduction—would reduce method variance. Probability sampling across diverse industries and regions would improve external validity. Multilevel modeling could reveal how organizational climate and leadership moderate GHRM effectiveness. Future studies should test expanded mediator models and conduct cross-cultural comparisons to determine whether findings may be generalized beyond Thailand's specific cultural and institutional context.

Investigating Cognition, Attitudes, and Acceptance of Smart Elderly Care Systems among Chinese Nurses

Ling Shen — 2026-05-07

Aim/Purpose: This study aimed to investigate Chinese elderly care nursing staff’s cognition, attitudes, and behavioral intentions toward adopting smart elderly care systems in response to the challenges posed by rapid population aging. This study was based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). The research integrated perceived usefulness, ease of use, security, performance expectancy, and organizational support into a unified structural framework, seeking to identify key determinants influencing technology adoption and inter-institutional variations within elderly care settings. The findings are expected to provide both theoretical insights and practical guidance for policymakers and institutional leaders to enhance training, optimize resource allocation, and promote sustainable implementation of smart elderly care systems in China.

Introduction/Background: China’s rapidly aging population has increased the demand for high-quality senior care, encouraging research into smart elderly care systems that combine the Internet of Things, big data, and digital technology. While such systems can improve efficiency and service accessibility, their effectiveness is highly dependent on the elderly care nurse staff’s acceptance and ability. Existing research has rarely focused on nursing staff in elderly care facilities. To fill this gap, this study investigated Chinese nurses’ cognition, attitudes, and adoption intentions for smart elderly care systems, offering evidence to promote effective technology integration and policy development.

Methodology: In this study, a cross-sectional quantitative design was employed to investigate factors that influence Chinese nursing staff’s adoption of smart elderly care systems. The survey focused on frontline providers of eldercare in China, including registered nurses, enrolled nurses, and assistant nurses, as well as eldercare aides and care workers. Participants were drawn from long-term care facilities, nursing homes, community-based eldercare institutions, and geriatric or rehabilitation wards within hospitals. The researcher designed an online survey link with a QR code and shared it with the nursing institutions, the elderly community, and the elderly healthcare institutions in different cities in China. Since the survey was online, no provinces or cities restricted it. After data screening, 537 valid responses were obtained. SmartPLS 4.0 was employed to conduct a series of analytical procedures for the structural model, including the assessment of reliability and validity, the analysis of correlation relationships among variables, and the estimation of path coefficients.

Findings: The study revealed several key findings. First, perceived usefulness, ease of use, security, performance expectancy, and organizational support positively influenced nursing staff’s attitudes toward smart elderly care systems. Second, attitude significantly influenced adoption intention, which highlights its mediating role. However, perceived organizational support did not exert a direct effect on adoption intention. Moreover, attitude mediated relationships between five antecedent variables and adoption intentions. These results aligned with prior studies and confirmed that cognitive, perceptual, and organizational factors collectively shape nurses’ attitudes and behavioral intentions toward adopting smart elderly care technologies in practice.

Contribution/Impact on Society: This study enriches theoretical understanding by contextualizing TAM and UTAUT within China’s elderly care sector, emphasizing the attitudinal mechanisms underlying nurses’ adoption of smart elderly care systems. It demonstrated that organizational support indirectly influences adoption through attitudes rather than directly shaping behavioral intentions, which highlights the need to adapt organizational behavior theories to resource-limited care environments. The findings also underscored the centrality of perceived security in technology acceptance within data-sensitive healthcare settings, offering empirical evidence to guide equitable, secure, and sustainable digital transformation in elderly care services.

Recommendations: To foster effective adoption, policymakers should establish unified technical standards, enhance data protection legislation, and reduce urban–rural disparities through targeted subsidies and infrastructure development. Elderly care institutions should strengthen organizational support via continuous training, accessible technical assistance, and incentive programs that foster trust and engagement. At the operational level, integrating smart systems into daily routines, improving perceived usefulness and security, and enhancing user-friendliness can increase adoption sustainability. Emphasizing data protection education would further build confidence among nursing staff, ensuring effective and enduring implementation of smart elderly care technologies.

Research Limitations: This study had several limitations. The quantitative, self-reported design may not have fully captured actual behaviors and could have introduced social desirability bias. The cross-sectional approach limits understanding of long-term adoption trends, while the model excluded contextual factors such as cultural norms, workforce diversity, and patient influences. Moreover, as the research was conducted within China’s elderly care context, the findings may not be directly generalizable to other cultural or institutional settings.

Future Research: Future studies should adopt mixed-method approaches, integrating qualitative interviews or observations to explore deeper behavioral insights. Longitudinal research is recommended to assess adoption dynamics over time. Expanding comparative analyses across diverse cultural, institutional, and policy environments would enrich the understanding of contextual influences and broaden the applicability of the findings.

Enhancing Carbon Footprint Awareness among Consumers: A Developmental Approach in Pathum Thani, Thailand

Pattarapon Chummee — 2026-05-07

Aim/Purpose: This study provides important policy and development implications by identifying carbon footprint awareness as the central mechanism driving low-carbon consumption behaviors across transportation, electricity use, and waste management domains. Rather than relying on broad environmental campaigns, the findings suggest that policymakers should embed awareness-building strategies directly into everyday consumption systems. The strong mediating role of awareness within the integrated Theory of Planned Behavior and Value-Belief-Norm framework offers an evidence-based foundation for designing interventions that activate attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and personal moral norms simultaneously. From a development perspective, enhancing carbon footprint awareness supports not only environmental sustainability, but also responsible citizenship and long-term behavioral change, particularly in rapidly urbanizing peri-urban areas such as Pathum Thani. Accordingly, integrated low-carbon strategies that coordinate energy, transportation, and waste policies under an awareness-centered framework are recommended to strengthen both policy coherence and sustainable social development outcomes.

Introduction/Background: Climate change is a critical global challenge driven by emissions from energy use, transportation, and industry. Beyond technological innovation, achieving long-term climate targets requires changes in consumer behavior, particularly in daily decisions about energy and mobility. In Thailand, the commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050 underscores the importance of consumer participation, making carbon footprint awareness a key mechanism for promoting sustainable consumption at household and community levels. Beyond environmental outcomes, carbon footprint awareness carries significant policy and social development implications. Integrating awareness into transportation, energy, and waste policies can strengthen civic responsibility, stimulate demand for low-carbon goods and services, and support green economic transformation. Focusing on Pathum Thani Province, this study applied behavioral theories to examine how carbon footprint awareness influences pro-environmental behavior and regional socio-economic outcomes. The findings highlight the importance of awareness-centered policies in advancing sustainable regional development and inclusive climate transition.

Methodology: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was employed to examine the relationships among transportation, electricity consumption, waste management, carbon footprint awareness, and consumer consumption behavior in Pathum Thani Province, Thailand. A structured questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale measured five latent constructs, with a sample of 360 residents aged 18 years or older selected through simple random sampling. Content validity was confirmed by expert review, and reliability testing showed strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha scores = .84–.91). Data were analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling to test direct and indirect relationships, with model fit assessed using standard goodness-of-fit indices according to established criteria.

Finding: The measurement model demonstrated strong convergent and discriminant validity across five constructs—Transportation, Electricity Consumption, Waste Management, Carbon Footprint Awareness, and Consumer Consumption with factor loadings above .70, AVE values exceeding .50, composite reliability above .70, and Cronbach’s alpha ranging from .84 to .91, confirming internal consistency and construct distinctiveness. Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated acceptable model fit, supporting the adequacy of the measurement structure for structural analysis. The Structural Equation Model further revealed that Transportation (β = .42), Electricity Consumption (β = .55), and Waste Management (β = .48) had significant positive effects on Carbon Footprint Awareness, with electricity consumption exerting the strongest influence. In turn, Carbon Footprint Awareness significantly affected Consumer Consumption (β = .69), confirming its mediating role. Hypothesis testing supported all proposed relationships (p < .001), indicating that routine consumption-related behaviors enhance environmental awareness, which subsequently translates into sustainable consumption decisions.

Contribution/Impact on Society: This study contributes theoretically by empirically establishing carbon footprint awareness as a key psychological mechanism linking consumption-related behaviors to sustainable consumption. Practically, the findings provide evidence-based insights for policymakers and local authorities in Pathum Thani to design targeted interventions focused on energy use, mobility, and waste management. The validated analytical framework also offers applicability for examining sustainable consumption behavior in other regional contexts.

Recommendations: Accordingly, policy interventions in Pathum Thani Province should prioritize energy-related measures, such as real-time electricity feedback systems, carbon labeling of appliances, and tiered tariffs based on energy efficiency, as these are likely to generate the greatest downstream impact on sustainable consumption through enhanced awareness. Waste management programs should integrate explicit carbon-impact communication and community-level emission reporting to strengthen the awareness mechanism identified in the mediation analysis, while transportation policies should combine infrastructure improvements with visible carbon-emission information and digital emission calculators to reinforce cognitive associations between commuting behavior and environmental impact. Overall, an integrated low-carbon strategy centered on systematically enhancing carbon footprint awareness—particularly through energy-focused interventions—offers the most empirically grounded pathway for promoting sustainable consumption in peri-urban contexts similar to Pathum Thani Province.

Research Limitation: This study was subject to several limitations. The focus on a single province may limit generalizability, and the use of self-reported data may have introduced response bias. In addition, the cross-sectional design restricts causal interpretation of the observed relationships, and the model does not incorporate broader social or policy-related factors.

Future Research: Future research should extend the framework to multiple regions and adopt longitudinal designs to better capture changes in awareness and behavior over time. Incorporating additional variables such as social norms, policy interventions, and technological accessibility, as well as mixed-method approaches, would provide a more comprehensive understanding of sustainable consumer behavior.

Youth Risk Prevention After Thailand’s 2022 Cannabis Policy Shift: Government Strategies in Phitsanulok Province

Wasan Pounpunwong — 2026-05-07

Aim/Purpose: This study aimed to examine government policies and measures for preventing youth cannabis-related risks in Phitsanulok Province following Thailand’s 2022 cannabis policy shift, as well as to identify policy gaps and implementation constraints in order to develop actionable recommendations for enhancing provincial-level prevention.

Introduction/Background: After Thailand’s 2022 “Free Cannabis” policy promoted cannabis for medical and economic purposes, cannabis-related harms and youth exposure were reported more prominently. National hospital data indicated a six- to seven-fold increase in cannabis poisoning and psychosis cases, while youth cannabis treatment cases in Phitsanulok increased fivefold. As a province that also functions as a narcotics transit zone, Phitsanulok is facing heightened challenges for prevention and regulatory responses.

Methodology: A qualitative design was employed, combining documentary research (books, peer-reviewed articles, research reports, and official policy documents) with fieldwork. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 purposively selected key informants (six government officials and five representatives from educational institutions) who were directly involved in drug prevention and education in Phitsanulok. Data were collected using interview guides, field notes, and audio recordings. The study received ethical approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee of Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University (PSRU-EC 2023/046) and applied methodological triangulation and thematic analysis.

Findings: Although cannabis is no longer classified under the 2021 Narcotic Drugs Act, it remains a significant youth-risk issue in Phitsanulok. The policy intention to support medical use and research has been accompanied by legal ambiguities and increased opportunities for youth access. Evidence from documents and local agencies indicates that adolescents encounter cannabis intentionally and unintentionally through smoking, food products, and online advertising, with implications for health, educational engagement, and family economics. Government responses align with national and provincial frameworks, including the 20-Year National Strategy (2018–2038), the National Drug Prevention and Suppression Plan (2023–2027), and the Phitsanulok Provincial Development Plan (2023–2027). However, gaps persist in translating these broad frameworks into cannabis-specific risk governance at the provincial level.

Contribution/Impact on Society: The study advances policy discussion by demonstrating that youth protection under cannabis liberalization requires targeted measures beyond general drug-prevention approaches: a) education and risk communication, b) enforceable controls on access and sales, and c) multi-sectoral coordination among state agencies, schools, families, and communities, alongside constructive youth alternatives (arts, sports, and vocational pathways).

Recommendations: The study proposes four priorities: a) establish cannabis-specific regulations (age limits, ID verification, and tighter online advertising controls); b) strengthen school- and community-based prevention to correct misconceptions about legality; c) institutionalize a provincial multi-sector task force for monitoring and coordinated enforcement; and d) expand youth development programs to reduce vulnerability to cannabis use.

Research Limitations: This study had three key limitations. First, it relied on qualitative evidence from document review and 11 in-depth interviews, which may not have captured the full range of stakeholder perspectives in Phitsanulok Province. Second, the analysis focused primarily on government initiatives, with limited input from youth, parents, and community-based organizations, which may have yielded additional or contrasting perspectives. Third, because cannabis policy in Thailand is rapidly evolving, the findings reflect conditions during the time of data collection and may not reflect policy or legal developments that occurred after 2022.

Future Research: Future studies should include larger and more representative samples—especially youth, parents, and community groups—and should integrate quantitative surveys with qualitative methods. Comparative research across provinces would help identify regional variation and inform design of targeted, context-sensitive youth cannabis prevention policies in Thailand.

Development and Validation of the Amuma Sa Barangay (Nourish the Barangay) Program Participants’ Perception Scale

Sether Josh Marfa — 2026-05-07

Aim/Purpose: This study aimed to develop a measurement scale to assess key constructs related to the perceptions of Amuma Sa Barangay (Nourish the Barangay) participants. This instrument was designed to systematically capture participants’ views of how this program influences them. As such, it serves as a valuable tool for policymakers, particularly the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)–Region VII, in evaluating the program’s outcomes and informing evidence-based improvements to strengthen the program further and expand women‘s empowerment across the country at the barangay level.

Introduction/Background: The Amuma Sa Barangay program was initiated by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region VII to support women from marginalized sectors through capacity-building interventions, particularly in financial literacy and savings habits. This study examines participants’ perceptions across three core dimensions: Women’s Empowerment, Financial Management, and Community-Based Engagement. These dimensions constitute the conceptual foundation of the program as contextualized by DILG Region VII. Drawing on the interrelated nature of these dimensions, an instrument was developed to assess the extent to which each construct is associated with and reinforces the others from the perspective of program participants.

Methodology: This study employed a literature-informed sequential exploratory design to ensure that the instrument was conceptually grounded in existing frameworks of women empowerment, financial behavior, and community engagement, while remaining culturally responsive to the Amuma Sa Barangay program context. The combination of qualitative content validation through literature and program document analysis with rigorous quantitative psychometric testing strengthened the methodological robustness of the scale development process. This approach supported the reliability of the instrument for program evaluation and policy-relevant assessment.

Findings: Content validity, as assessed by expert comments, led to the removal of 14 of the initial 50 items. Specifically, three items were removed from the Women’s Empowerment dimension, seven from Financial Management, and four from Community-Based Engagement. This refinement resulted in a total of 36 items retained after content validation–14 items under Women’s Empowerment, 5 under Financial Management, and 17 under Community-Based Engagement. Subsequently, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed using SPSS Version 26, employing Principal Axis Factoring and Varimax Rotation. During EFA, 22 items were progressively removed due to low factor loadings and cross-loadings, leaving 14 items with satisfactory communalities ranging from .344 to .770. The total variance explained by the final EFA model was 66.61%. Following EFA, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted using AMOS Version 20 to test the hypothesized factor structure. The CFA model showed strong standardized loadings for all indicators under the three latent constructs: Women Empowerment, Financial Management, and Community-Based Engagement. Covariances were introduced between select indicators to improve model fit. The final model demonstrated acceptable fit indices: Comparative Fit Index and Tucker-Lewis Index > .90, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation = .077, Standardized Root Mean Squared Residual = .051, and χ²/df = 2.295. These values confirmed a good model fit and validated the factorial structure of the Amuma Participants’ Perception Scale (APPS) instrument. Convergent validity was confirmed through strong standardized loadings, with each construct meeting the thresholds for Composite Reliability and Average Variance Extracted. Discriminant validity was also established, as the inter-construct correlations were below the .85 threshold, confirming that each construct was empirically distinct. Lastly, internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Each construct, as well as the overall APPS scale, demonstrated excellent reliability, with an overall alpha coefficient of .90, indicating strong consistency in measuring participants’ perceptions of the program.

Contribution/Impact on Society: This study provides a validated instrument (APPS) to assess women’s empowerment outcomes of the Amuma Sa Barangay program, emphasizing financial literacy and savings behavior. The tool supports evidence-based policy and program evaluation by enabling local government units and the DILG to monitor impact, refine interventions, and promote economic inclusion among marginalized women in the Philippines.

Recommendations: Based on the findings, it is recommended that DILG Region VII integrate the APPS instrument into routine program monitoring to support evidence-based evaluation and scaling of the Amuma Sa Barangay program in Region VII. APPS results can also guide facilitator training, module refinement, and targeted interventions in barangays with low engagement or weak financial behaviors, thereby strengthening women’s empowerment and community participation.

Research Limitation: The study was limited to selected barangays in Region VII, so findings may not be generalizable to all regions or in urban contexts. The study also focused on participant perceptions; thus, such self-reported data might be subject to response biases, such as social desirability or recall limitations. Lastly, a cross-sectional design was employed, which cannot establish causality between financial literacy and empowerment outcomes.

Future Research: Building on this study, future researchers could use the APPS instrument in other regions and across urban-rural divides to test its generalizability. Long-term studies may also be conducted to assess how perceptions and behaviors evolve, particularly after every cycle. Inclusion of male participants could also be used to compare outcomes. Lastly, future researchers could combine participant self-assessments with external program metrics to validate findings across data types.

Effectiveness of a Research Capability Training Program: A Kirkpatrick’s Evaluation Model Application in Cebu, Philippines

Robert Jay N. Angco — 2026-05-07

Aim/Purpose: Developing faculty research capabilities is critical for higher education institutions seeking to enhance research productivity and academic quality. Despite widespread recognition of the importance of structured research training, empirical evidence regarding effectiveness remains limited, particularly in developing-country contexts. The rapid evolution of research methodologies, publication landscapes, and technological tools, including artificial intelligence, necessitates systematic capacity building beyond traditional mentoring. Contemporary training must address fundamental methodological competencies, as well as emerging skills in digital tools, open-access publishing, predatory-journal identification, and ethical standards. Few studies have employed comprehensive evaluation frameworks to assess whether training programs achieve intended outcomes across learning and behavioral dimensions, limiting evidence-based decision-making for faculty development investments.

Introduction/Background: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a structured research capability training program using the Kirkpatrick Four-Level Evaluation Model, examining participant reactions (Level 1), knowledge acquisition (Level 2), behavioral change intentions and self-efficacy improvements (Level 3), and potential organizational impact (Level 4 indicator). The evaluation provided empirical evidence regarding the value of multi-topic intensive training while identifying program strengths and areas for improvement. By applying systematic evaluation, this study adds to the limited evidence on effective faculty development and provides actionable insights for institutional planning and resource allocation.

Methodology: A pre-post evaluation study with 40 faculty participants assessed an intensive multi-day research capability training program covering methodology fundamentals, journal selection strategies, predatory journal identification, AI tool applications, data analysis, and academic writing through interactive methods and expert-led sessions. Data collection employed: (a) validated pre-test and post-test questionnaires (10 items each) covering methodology, ethics, journal selection, and open access; (b) structured satisfaction questionnaire with four domains on 5-point Likert scales including content delivery (8 items), facilitator performance (4 items), logistics (4 items), and learning outcomes (4 items); (c) self-efficacy scales for journal identification and ethical standards confidence; and (d) open-ended qualitative feedback. Quantitative analysis used descriptive statistics, Cohen’s d effect sizes, and frequencies. Qualitative responses were analyzed thematically, with inter-rater reliability (kappa) = .84. Sample size for G Power analysis required a minimum of 34 participants for detecting Cohen’s d of .50 effects at 80 percent power, with alpha equal to .05. All participants provided informed consent per institutional ethical requirements.

Findings: The evaluation demonstrated exceptional effectiveness across outcomes, providing strong evidence at Kirkpatrick Levels 1–2 with promising indicators at Level 3–4. Knowledge gains were substantial: open access understanding increased from 12.5 to 87.5 percent (a 75 percentage-point gain, Cohen’s d = 3.2); predatory journal identification improved from 85 to 92.5 percent (Cohen d = .60); ethics understanding rose from 92.5 to 97.5 percent (Cohen d = .40); methodology mastery reached 100 percent from 95 percent.

Self-efficacy showed large improvements: journal identification confidence increased from a mean of 3.60 (SD = .97) to a mean of 4.37 (SD = .54), a .77-point gain (Cohen d = 1.1); ethical standards confidence rose from mean of 3.92 (SD = .96) to a mean of 4.50 (SD = .56), (Cohen d = .70). Reduced standard deviations indicated convergence across competency levels; satisfaction evaluation (n = 30, 75 percent response) showed unanimous positive reception, with 100 percent rating the overall effectiveness with scores from 4.00 to 5.00 on a 5-point scale. Domain means ranged between 4.47 and 4.77, with instructor expertise as the highest (M = 4.77, SD = .43). Consistent high performance across content delivery (M = 4.63-4.73), facilitator performance (M = 4.70-4.77), logistics (M = 4.47-4.73), and learning outcomes (M = 4.60-4.70). Qualitative analysis identified three value-drivers: technology integration (18 mentions), publication strategy guidance (18 mentions), and expert instruction (12 mentions). Improvements needed included extended duration (8 mentions), methodological specialization (6 mentions), and infrastructure enhancement (5 mentions).

Contribution/Impact on Society: This research provides robust evidence for the effectiveness of structured multi-topic research capability training in enhancing faculty competencies for contemporary academic research. Findings validated comprehensive training integrating traditional skills with emerging technological tools and publication practices. There were demonstrated improvements in knowledge and confidence across competency areas, particularly predatory journal identification and open access publishing, supporting institutional faculty development investments. Training also led to successful technology integration, especially AI applications, models, and adaptation to evolving scholarly landscapes. The comprehensive evaluation framework offers a replicable methodology for institutions assessing programs, contributing to evidence-based academic capacity building. For institutions in developing contexts, findings revealed that well-designed intensive training achieved substantial improvements in faculty capabilities under resource constraints, supporting research productivity and academic quality goals.

Recommendations: Institutions may implement structured research capability programs that incorporate AI tool applications, journal selection guidance, and predatory journal identification training. Program design should prioritize contemporary content, expert instructors, interactive methods, and adequate duration for comprehensive coverage. Invest in appropriate technological infrastructure and facilities to optimize learning. Implement post-training support, including mentoring networks and follow-up sessions to extend impact and facilitate sustained change. Conduct systematic evaluation using the Kirkpatrick model to assess effectiveness, identify improvements, and demonstrate return on investment.

Research Limitation: Study limitations included an immediate post-training assessment without long-term follow-up for sustained behavioral change and organizational impact (Kirkpatrick Levels 3-4). Self-reported measures may have introduced response bias. The sample size of 40 participants from a single institution limits generalizability. The evaluation lacked objective behavioral observations or actual research output measurements. The cross-sectional design precluded temporal stability assessment of learning gains and confidence improvements.

Future Research: Longitudinal studies could examine sustained behavior change, actual research output improvements, and the organizational impact of research training interventions to validate the Kirkpatrick Levels 3 and 4 scores.

The Influence of Social Media Marketing Management, Risk Perception, and Perceived Usefulness on the Performance of Tourism Businesses in Thailand

Fungkiat Mahiphan — 2026-05-07

Aim/Purpose: This study investigated how Perceived Usefulness (PU) and Perceived Risk (PR) influenced the Business Performance (BP) of tourism enterprises in Thailand, with Social Media Marketing Management (SMMM) positioned as a mediating mechanism. By integrating the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Resource-Based View (RBV), the research sought to explain how entrepreneurs’ cognitive perceptions of digital technologies were transformed into organizational capabilities and, ultimately, performance outcomes. The study specifically investigated whether SMMM functions as a strategic capability that links Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Risk of digital marketing to improved Business Performance in the context of tourism small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Introduction/Background: The tourism industry has long been a significant contributor to Thailand’s economic growth, employment, and regional development. However, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed structural weaknesses among tourism SMEs, particularly in digital readiness and resilience. As travel declined and uncertainty increased, tourism enterprises relied more heavily on digital platforms to maintain visibility, engage customers, and rebuild trust. Consequently, social media marketing has evolved into a strategic managerial function. Despite evidence that social media marketing enhances firm performance, limited research explains how entrepreneurs’ perceptions of digital technologies influence effective social media management and business outcomes in developing economies.

Methodology: In this study, a quantitative design was adopted using survey data from 335 registered tourism entrepreneurs across seven regions of Thailand. Respondents were business owners and senior managers involved in strategic and digital marketing decisions. Data was collected through an online questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale. Measurement items were adapted from established studies and validated through expert review and pilot testing. Data analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling, with reliability, validity, and common method variance assessed to ensure robust results.

Findings: The empirical results provided several important findings. First, Perceived Usefulness was found to exert a strong and significant positive effect on both Social Media Marketing Management and Business Performance. This indicated that when tourism entrepreneurs recognize the operational and strategic benefits of digital technologies, they were more likely to adopt structured SMMM practices and achieve superior performance outcomes. Second, Perceived Risk did not have a direct effect on Business Performance; however, it showed a significant positive influence on SMMM. This suggests that higher levels of perceived risk motivate entrepreneurs to manage social media more systematically as a means of reducing uncertainty, enhancing transparency, and building customer trust. Third, Social Media Marketing Management had a significant positive effect on business performance, confirming its role as a critical driver of competitiveness in the tourism sector. Mediation analysis further revealed that SMMM partially mediated the relationship between Perceived Usefulness and Business Performance, whereas it fully mediated the relationship between Perceived Risk and Business Performance. These findings underscore the central role of SMMM as a mechanism that converts cognitive perceptions into tangible organizational outcomes.

Contributions/Impact on Society: This study advances the literature by integrating TAM and RBV in the context of social media marketing. It demonstrates that digital technology perceptions (PU, PR) must be understood alongside managerial processes (SMMM) to explain performance outcomes in SMEs. By highlighting the dual roles of PU and PR, and the central mediating mechanism of SMMM, the study provides a nuanced understanding of how SMEs in emerging markets may leverage digital tools to sustain competitiveness in tourism.

Recommendations: Based on the findings, tourism entrepreneurs are encouraged to move beyond ad hoc social media usage and invest in systematic social media marketing management practices, including content strategy, customer engagement, and performance monitoring. Policymakers and industry stakeholders should support SMEs through targeted training programs that enhance digital competencies and risk management skills. Such initiatives can strengthen the strategic use of social media and amplify its contribution to business performance.

Research Limitations: As with all empirical studies, this research has limitations that present opportunities for future inquiry. The study focused on Thai tourism SMEs, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other sectors or cultural contexts. Future research could conduct cross-country comparisons or explore variations across industries to assess the robustness of the model. In addition, this study employed a cross-sectional design; longitudinal studies are recommended to capture how perceptions of usefulness and risk, along with SMMM practices, evolve over time. Finally, future work could incorporate additional variables, such as entrepreneurial orientation, digital literacy, or customer trust, to enrich the explanatory power of the mode

Future Research: Future research should employ longitudinal designs to track the developing impact of digital trends. Testing more moderators, such as digital literacy and technological infrastructure, across diverse tourism sectors would enhance generalizability. Further studies could also focus on the role of artificial intelligence in social media marketing management to determine its specific influence on long-term business sustainability.

Exploring Indicators of Relational Capital and Environmental Forces in a Sports Sponsorship Marketing Measurement Model

Ammara Phakdeeburi — 2026-05-07

Aim/Purpose: In a context where sports sponsorship has become an increasingly important strategic tool for businesses, this study aimed to explore and validate a set of relational capital and environmental force indicators that influence the effectiveness of a sports sponsorship marketing measurement model in Thailand. The key problem addressed in this paper is the lack of a comprehensive model that integrates relational capital and environmental dynamics in shaping corporate strategies for sports sponsorship, which can limit both marketing effectiveness and return on investment.

Introduction/Background: In today’s competitive global economy, businesses are increasingly compelled not only to innovate, but also to develop sustainable and meaningful relationships with their internal and external stakeholders. Sports sponsorship has evolved into more than a branding tactic—it now serves as a strategic relational and environmental mechanism that enables organizations to project corporate values, engage diverse consumer bases, and cultivate long-term brand loyalty. Sponsorship can enhance brand image, stimulate emotional engagement, and foster mutual trust between sponsors and their audiences. However, despite the rising global emphasis on sports sponsorship, many Thai organizations continue to adopt inconsistent or ad-hoc sponsorship strategies that lack a theoretical foundation or empirical validation. This often results in fragmented collaboration, limited stakeholder impact, and suboptimal returns on investment. Recognizing these challenges, this paper aimed to fill the gap by developing a conceptual model of marketing relational capital and environmental forces, and testing its validity among a sample of marketing executives in varied industry sectors engaged in sports sponsorship within Thailand.

Methodology: In this study, a mixed-methods approach incorporating both qualitative and quantitative research was employed. Initially, in-depth interviews with nine experts were used to extract critical indicators. The core research instrument was a structured questionnaire composed of three parts: a) sponsor profiles, b) a 43-item survey of 12 constructs of relational capital and environment, and c) open-ended questions regarding sponsorship practices. The sample consisted of 645 marketing executives from eight industrial sectors in Thailand who were selected through stratified random sampling. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 14.0 and AMOS 6.0, employing Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Partial Least Squares (PLS) techniques to examine the reliability, validity, and fit of the proposed model.

Findings: The study confirmed that the relational capital and environmental forces model exhibited a good fit with empirical data. Forty-three indicators were validated across eight core elements: three from relational capital—moral and trustworthy appeal, emotional appeal, and logical reasoning—and five from environmental forces—marketing capability, customer orientation, societal impact, government support, and competitor invasion. Each factor demonstrated acceptable levels of reliability and construct validity, with factor loadings above .40 and construct reliability scores exceeding .70. The findings revealed that relational capital significantly contributed to sponsorship outcomes, particularly through emotional and moral appeals that resonate with stakeholders. Additionally, environmental forces such as customer orientation and marketing capability emerged as major drivers that support sponsorship success. The research underscores that relational marketing is central to stakeholder engagement and long-term brand loyalty in sports sponsorship contexts.

Contribution/Impact on Society: This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a validated framework for assessing relational capital and environmental factors that influence sports sponsorship performance. The study offers insights into how businesses can strategically align sponsorship decisions with relational and environmental capabilities to optimize impact. Furthermore, it highlights the social value of ethical and emotionally resonant sponsorships, demonstrating how relational capital can extend beyond brand promotion to societal development, especially when aligned with national sporting initiatives and community engagement.

Recommendations: For practitioners, the study recommends adopting the proposed indicators as strategic benchmarks for planning and evaluating sports sponsorship campaigns. Companies should prioritize sponsorships that build emotional and moral connections with their target audiences while remaining sensitive to cultural and market-specific factors. It is crucial to establish transparent, long-term partnerships with sports entities and to invest in marketing capabilities that support relationship-building. For researchers, further exploration into the dynamic interplay between sponsorship effectiveness and emerging environmental pressures, such as digital transformation and shifting consumer values, is advised.

Research Limitations: Although the sample was drawn from a broad range of industries, it was geographically limited to Thailand, which may affect the generalizability of findings to other countries. Additionally, the reliance on self-reported survey data may introduce response bias. The use of CFA and PLS techniques, while robust, requires subjective decisions in model construction and indicator selection. The research also focused on business-to-sport relationships and did not capture consumer-side perceptions or outcomes, which could provide a more holistic view of sponsorship effectiveness.

Future Research: Future studies should investigate the causal relationships between relational capital and sponsorship outcomes across different cultural and industry contexts. Expanding the research to include consumer behavior, sponsor-consumer-brand alignment, and digital engagement strategies would offer valuable insights. Moreover, longitudinal studies examining the long-term impact of relational and environmental strategies on sponsorship Return on Investment and brand equity are warranted. Further exploration into local and national sponsorship models and their respective success factors can also contribute to developing a global framework for sports marketing.