Influence of Training and Knowledge Management on Competency among Quality Managers at Rajabhat Universities in Thailand

IntroductionThere are many factors influencing the success of organizational management. One factor referred by many administrators like Crosby, Juran, Ishikawa, Leonard and Sasser and Mondon, is the founding of a quality council or a unit directly responsible for quality assurance of an organization. These people as knowledgeable professionals in quality assurance system are able to advice the personnel of the organization (Saraph, Benson, & Schroeder, 1989). In their research, Karuppusami and Gandhinathan (2006) review crucial factors of success in the organization employing quality system and discover that of all major factors, role of quality department is vital as revealed in 13 researches. For example, in a study of factors in the success of TQM employment in industrial sector in Hong Kong which focuses on potential and competency of the department staff, Antony, Leung, Knowles, and Gosh (2002) assert that "role of quality department" is one among seven factors leading to success of the organization. Similarly, the findings from the studies by Saraph et al. (1989) and Badri, Davis and Davis (1995), who examine instrument in measuring factors affecting successful usage of quality tools in the organization reveals that role of quality department is 1 among 8 primary factors. TQM system previously employed only in business sector has been applied in tertiary institutes for improving academic standard, producing quality human resources, strengthening economic competition capacity and allowing stakeholders in inspecting overall outcome of the institute (Doherty, 2012). The concept of TQM is, therefore, a major principle hired in higher education for their quality system development. The term "quality assurance" is used as the proactive process in problem prevention and continual quality improvement (Doherty, 2012; Office of the Higher Education Commission; OHEC, 2011). Quality assurance in Thailand has been operated as stated in the National Education Act B. E. 2542 (Revision B. E. 2545) (Office of the National Education Commission, 2003) with its objectives and principles emphasizing on educational management quality and standard. Section 6: educational standard and quality assurance covers the details of "internal quality assurance" and "external quality assurance", as mechanism for maintaining quality and standard of tertiary institutes. Internal quality assurance is a construction of system and mechanism for developing, inspecting and evaluating institutional operation in accordance with the target policy and quality levels of the institute and/or original affiliation. The establishment of quality assurance unit is, thus, required in tertiary institutes for a drive to educational quality certification and overall outcome dissemination. However, competency is a crucial instrument widely used in current human resource administration and is also officially employed in performance evaluation according to Civil Service Act B. E. 2551 (Office of Civil Service Commission; OCSC, 2005; 2010a; 2010b; 2010c). Thailand Quality Award (TQA) applied in different countries and fields also includes competency in section 5: workforce focus; in that, "workforce capability" must be operated based on knowledge, skills, abilities, and competency of the personnel (Thailand Quality Award Office, 2010; 2011; 2013; National Institute of Standards and Technology, United State Department of Commerce, 2011). Training is one factor affecting performance competency of the personnel as the process provides them with knowledge, abilities, necessary skills, varied competency, positive attitudes and satisfactory behaviors required by the organization which will enhance their potential to work amidst changes as well as new principles, methods and technology (Wedchayanon, 2009). Bell, McBride, and Wilson (1997 as cited in Waddell & Stewart, 1999) state that field study and training are important to the personnel of all levels. Insufficient knowledge of quality managers probably causes failure in quality assurance. …