การบริหารหน่วยบ่มเพาะวิสาหกิจในสถาบันอุดมศึกษาสู่ความยั่งยืน: กรณีศึกษาสถาบันแม่ข่ายภูมิภาคภาคเหนือ

Teerachai Saowong; Pratsanee Na Keeree

Authors

Teerachai Saowong School of Management, Mae Fah Luang University
Pratsanee Na Keeree School of Management, Sustainability and Entrepreneurship Research Center, Mae Fah Luang University

Keywords:

university business incubators, management for sustainability, analytical hierarchy process, success factors, innovation-driven economy

Abstract

Thailand continues to face challenges in economic development, particularly in its economic structure, which has not yet been fully driven by innovation. The National Strategy on Enhancing Competitiveness, Strategy 5, emphasizes the development of an economy based on modern entrepreneurs. This aligns with the National Economic and Social Development Plan, which aims to restructure the production and service sectors toward an innovation-based economy. The Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, has implemented policies through the “University Business Incubator (UBI)” program to enhance the potential of business incubators in higher education institutions. This study on the management of university business incubators towards sustainability aims to explore and analyze the factors contributing to success and sustainability, prioritize those factors, and propose strategic guidelines for effective and sustainable management in the long term. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed as the main methodology. The sample group was selected using quota sampling and purposive sampling methods, including project managers or business incubation officers from regional UBI hubs in upper and lower northern Thailand. All participants had at least five years of experience in business incubation and were currently working in UBI units. The findings revealed that the key factors contributing to the success and sustainability of UBIs, in order of importance, are: (1) Financial management, (2) Organizational management, (3) Innovation and technology, (4) Human resources and (5) Networking. These results highlight the significance of efficient financial management in ensuring the sustainability of UBIs. Therefore, the development and improvement of UBI units should involve effective financial management, strengthening collaboration with entrepreneurs, the private sector, government agencies, and other institutions. It is essential to promote network building, knowledge exchange, and shared resource utilization. Additionally, studies on the impacts and success factors should be conducted to ensure sustainability in both the Thai and global contexts.

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