Competency Development of Worker Tool and Building Material Retailers in the Digital Era

Abstract

The objective of this research is to 1) study the problems and challenges in the competency development of current worker tool and building material retailers, 2) Find the relationship between the potential, knowledge, skills, and attributes of the potential development of retail entrepreneurs. Types of hand tools and building materials in the digital era

This research is a combination of qualitative research and quantitative research. The sample group in the qualitative research aspect consists of 7 owner-level executives in worker tool and building material retailers. The sample group in the quantitative research aspect consists of 323 manager-level or assistant-manager-level executives in worker tool and building material retailers in Bangkok Metropolitan Region, as well as the retailers in Bangkok Metropolitan Region that operate online. The tool used in qualitative research is in-depth open-ended semi-structured interview. Content analysis is used for data analysis. The tool used to gather quantitative information is questionnaire, whereas the statistics used for data analysis are percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test for difference analysis and f-test for distribution analysis. The in-depth interview on the competency development guidelines for the worker tool and building material retailers finds that the retailers should possess the basic knowledge on laws and labor, employee assessment, computer and technology, information and situation analysis, originality, creativity in terms of finding unique products/services which serve the customers’ needs and strategy and decision-making.

Studying on the demand for competency development finds that the entrepreneurs with different sexes, ages, educational levels, job position, work experience, retail types and retail locations do not have different overall demand for competency development nor different individual aspects of demand, namely, knowledge, skill and preference.

Comparison of the need for potential development of retail business operators  Types of hand tools and building materials in the digital era  Classified by personal factors, it was found that retail business operators  Types of hand tools and construction materials  of different ages  There are opinions on the potential development of retail entrepreneurs.  Types of hand tools and construction materials to be able to compete in business in the digital era, including knowledge of product standards that customers want to use  and desirable characteristics such as leadership  Have clear goals and visions  emotional control  There was a statistically significant difference at the 0.05 level of retail business operators.  Types of hand tools and construction materials  with different levels of education  There are opinions on the potential development of retail entrepreneurs.  Types of hand tools and construction materials to be able to compete in business in the digital era. Skills include communication skills with customers.  Desirable characteristics include discipline in work.  enthusiastic  Always ready to work  There was a statistically significant difference at the 0.05 level of retail business operators.  Types of hand tools and construction materials  with different job positions  There are opinions on the potential development of retail entrepreneurs.  Types of hand tools and construction materials to be able to compete in business in the digital era. Knowledge is the knowledge of arranging the line of command to facilitate the work in the organization.  Fundamentals of law and labor. Skills include skills in using high-speed internet to search for information.  Operational skills from AI and inventory control skills  There was a statistically significant difference at the 0.05 level of retail business operators.  Types of hand tools and construction materials  who worked in different management positions  There are opinions on the potential development of retail entrepreneurs.  Types of hand tools and construction materials to be able to compete in business in the digital era. Skills include skills in purchasing materials and equipment.  Desirable characteristics were: dare to think, dare to make decisions, differed statistically at 0.05 level.  Types of hand tools and construction materials  with different business types  There are opinions on the potential development of retail entrepreneurs.  Types of hand tools and construction materials to be able to compete in business in the digital era. Knowledge is the knowledge of arranging the line of command to facilitate the work in the organization.  Knowledge of regularly evaluating the performance of employees in the organization  and basic knowledge of law and labor  There was a statistically significant difference at the 0.05 level.

Studying on the relationship between the elements of competency development of worker tool and building material retailers in the digital era finds that all elements have positive relationships with statistical significances of p < 0.01. Therefore, the management responsible for retailer competency development should give a priority to supporting employees in improving work-related knowledge, skills and preferences, especially the knowledge and understandings in the work that the employee is responsible for and the knowledge in digital technology in order for them to catch up with the technological changes in the digital economy and sustainably compete in the retail businesses.