Sufficiency Economy Based Knowledge Worker Model for Unskilled Labour’s Reverse Migration

Abstract

From the beginning of the human revolution, the human society have moved from agriculture to the industrial and presently leaped into the era of information and knowledge society. This resulted in the movement of labour between the developed, developing and underdeveloped countries. In addition, the migration also induced the exchanges in terms of economic, social, political and cultural. At the same time, it creates the disparity development between the metropolitan and the upcountry as well as the differences in education among different social classes. The above mentioned situations together with the aging population society contributed to the reverse migration problem, especially for those unskilled workers after the recession of the industrial revolution. This group is usually lack of understanding, knowledge and capability to do financial planning after retirement. The problems they face is simply not having enough money to sustain their daily living after their reverse migration. In developing countries, like Thailand, labours normally migrate from the rural agricultural areas into industrial estates. The same problem was also prominent in a developed countries about 40 years earlier. The unskilled labour is normally the majority of the workforce (more than 80%). Therefore, the direct labour cost is one of the major cost factor in the industry. As the country developed, the labour cost also increase. There is always a point where the management need to replace the labour with automation to increase its efficiency and to remain cost competitive. Moreover, because of its labour intensive nature, the unskilled worker always have shorter working life and earlier retirement (45-55 years old) than the skilled workers (55 to 65 years old). Therefore, the unskilled workers have 10 years shorter saving time compare to the other group. The retired unskilled labours are then, forced to reverse migrate to their communities without a good retirement plan. With the objective to solve the unskilled labour reverse migration economic uncertainty problem, this research used the workplace learning together with Sufficiency Economy Philosophy to develop the unskilled workers to be a Sufficient Knowledge Worker (SKW) through SKW activities. The research expects that the SKW and their organisation will share a mutual benefit. The major activity implementing the SEP is the use of a common household accounting worksheet. The organisation SKW activities is done through Kaizen+ which incorporate the SEP into the Kaizen concept. The result was evaluated and transcribed using Bloom Taxonomy Table. The assessment of self-immunity can be achieved by the Sufficiency Knowledge Worker Truth Table (adapted from the one using in the medical science) in two major dimensions for measuring and validating the training process. The researcher modified the tools for research methodology assessment by grouping the data between True-False and Positive-Negative descriptive analysis into four groups. The result was then transcribed into the SKW Truth Table for final analysis. The result then can be used to analyse and evaluate the methodology, thinking process and activities. The feedback result is used to continuously improve the research process and methodology for a sustainable solution. The research was conducted in a food manufacturer in Saha group industrial park in Lamphun, Thailand. The research findings clearly revealed that Thai unskilled labours can significantly develop their potential to improve their spending habits, increase their saving and plan for their life after retirement. The research result showed that after participating in the SKW activities, the workers have the tendency to improve their understanding about their home accounting. They became aware of the factors affecting their overall saving. They are also able to identify how to increase their earning if they are spending more than their salary. Also there was a difference between a single and a complex household. The main sub-item expense for a single household is their food and entertaining. The complex household, on the other hand, their major expense is the food items, especially for the children. The majority of the samples were able to reduce their expense whereas having a tendency to save more significantly, comparing their month to month record. By using the workplace learning activities while embedding the concept of SEP, the researcher can develop the unskilled workers to be “Sufficiency Knowledge Workers”. The research also focused on mutual benefit of the organisation and the individual with emphasis on personal skill development for the target group so that they have the ability to learn and adapt to a sustainable life. The main objective is to help the unskilled workers solve the anxiety about their after retirement financial stability. The researcher was able to develop and prove the knowledge management methodology. He also verified the tools chosen to measure the learning. The result from the Sufficiency Knowledge Worker Truth Table (SKW Truth Table) of the experimental group gave a Sensitivity of 92.86%, a Specificity of 0.00% and Research Methodology Effectiveness: True-Positive at 89.66%, False-Negative at 0.00%. In comparison, the result from the control group gave a Sensitivity of 20.00%, a Specificity of 100.00 and Research Methodology Effectiveness: True-Positive at 4.55%, False-Negative at 77.27%