Guidelines for Sustainable Development and Value Added of Processed Tamarind Products by Community Participation: Case Study of Community Based Enterprise Network of Processed Tamarind

摘要

The objective of this research is to find guidelines for sustainable development and value creation of processed tamarind with the participation of processed tamarind community enterprises in Petchabun. This research is a participatory action research (PAR) with the participation of 8 community enterprises of processed tamarind in Petchabun, and this quantitative research has been conducted by collecting data from 420 customers who have bought/consumed the processed tamarind products of the sweet tamarind community enterprises in Petchabun by using purposive sampling focusing on markets/stores that sold processed tamarind products of the processed tamarind community enterprises in Petchabun and also convenience sampling. The findings are as follows. Community enterprises, add more value to the tamarind product by producing new products such as dried seedless tamarind (three pieces per package), herb-mixed tamarind, buns with tamarind filling, ready-to-drink tamarind juice, tamarind jam, chocolate-covered tamarind, and tamarind chili paste. The packaging of seasoning tamarind and dried seedless tamarind are improved, and processed tamarind community enterprises brand are created. Moreover, the community enterprises must consider value creation by creating differences in service, image, and feature, for these variables influence the consumers' willingness to buy high-price processed tamarind products at 3.9% with is statistically significance. In addition, community enterprises must consider creating varieties of product features, distribution channels, service, and expectation, for these variables influence the consumers' intention to buy processed tamarind products at 12.2% with statistically significance. The guidelines for sustainable development are (1) developing product quality of processed tamarind and creating new types of processed tamarind in order to increase sales outside the community, (2) raising both new and existing product standards in order to assure consumers by using accreditation of standardizing organizations, (3) administrators should offer training for group members to gain knowledge and understanding in administration, including observing other successful community enterprises or other businesses, (4) in marketing management, community enterprises should keep the processed tamarind products positioning clean and safe, determine marketing goals, and create website introducing the product network. Moreover, in order for community enterprises to be sustainable, there must be economic environment sustainability.