Entrepreneurial University in Thailand a Case Study of King Mongkut’S University of Technology Thonburi (Kmutt)
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Trepo - Institutional Repository of Tampere University UNIVERSITY OF TAMPERE Faculty of Management Higher Education Administration ENTREPRENEURIAL UNIVERSITY IN THAILAND A CASE STUDY OF KING MONGKUT’S UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY THONBURI (KMUTT) Master in Research and Innovation in Higher Education (MARIHE) A joint program provided by the Danube University Krems (Austria), University of Tampere (Finland), and Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences (Germany) Master’s thesis June 2017 Supervisor: Jussi kivisto (PhD) Thanida Dharmajiva Abstract The purpose of this research is to investigate the existence of entrepreneurial university in Thailand and to examine the dynamics of the pathway towards entrepreneurial university of King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT). This research has been done by analyzing five entrepreneurial university elements of KMUTT by using a theoretical framework developed by Burton Clark. The research draws upon mostly primary source: semi-structured interviews with KMUTT university administrators and academics. Document analysis is also used as secondary source to enhance research validity. Upon examination of the five elements, it becomes clear that entrepreneurial university exists in Thai higher education to some extent and the entrepreneurial university concepts have been instilled in KMUTT. One of Clark’s elements of entrepreneurial university the “diversified funding base” exists strongly within KMUTT and it is likely to be even greater in the future. The “strengthened steering core’ is still in its transitional phase. Other elements, including the “extended periphery”, “academic heartland” and “integrated entrepreneurial culture” are in the early stage of KMUTT’s transformation into an entrepreneurial university. This research discovers that the term entrepreneurial university is still new in Thai higher education. Ineffective internal communication, state regulations and existing bureaucratic mindset among university administrative and academic units cause some difficulties for the university to bring changes or new values in its administrative and academic departments. This research introduces KMUTT and a clear definition of entrepreneurial university to Thai higher education research community. Moreover, the research highlights the importance of entrepreneurial university in enhancing university industry linkages, supporting Thai national policies as well as showing how a research university survives the insufficient state funding and become more self-reliant. Keywords: entrepreneurial university, KMUTT, Thailand, research university ii Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ vi List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... vii List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... viii Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................. ix Chapter 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Research Problems ................................................................................................................ 2 1.3 Research Gap......................................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Research Methodology .......................................................................................................... 3 1.5 Significance and Contribution of the Research ..................................................................... 4 Chapter 2 Entrepreneurial University ............................................................................................. 5 2.1 Entrepreneurial University as a Concept ............................................................................... 5 2.2 Entrepreneurial University in Asia ........................................................................................ 6 2.3 Theoretical Frameworks Related to Entrepreneurial University ........................................... 9 2.4 Theoretical Framework by Burton Clark ............................................................................ 12 2.5 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 13 Chapter 3 Thai Higher Education ................................................................................................. 14 3.1 Thai Higher Education from Past to Present ....................................................................... 14 3.2 Thailand 4.0 and Its Idealization of Higher Education ....................................................... 22 3.3 Thai Research Universities and Its Entrepreneurial Behaviors ........................................... 24 3.4 New Public Management and Thai Research University Entrepreneurial Behaviors ........ 25 Chapter 4 Case Study: King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) ........... 28 iii 4.1 KMUTT as a Case Study Institution ................................................................................... 28 4.2 The Establishment and University Mission ........................................................................ 28 4.3 Demographics and Field of Study ....................................................................................... 29 4.4 University Partnerships ....................................................................................................... 30 4.5 University Administrative Structure ................................................................................... 31 4.6 University Funding .............................................................................................................. 33 Chapter 5 Research Methods and Data Collection ....................................................................... 34 5.1 Research Methods ............................................................................................................... 34 5.2 The Analytical Framework.................................................................................................. 34 5.2.1 Clark’s five elements of entrepreneurial university concepts ...................................... 34 5.2.2 Rationale for using Clark’s framework ........................................................................ 38 5.3 Data Collection .................................................................................................................... 40 5.4 Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 43 5.5 Ethical Considerations......................................................................................................... 44 5.6 Validity and Reliability ....................................................................................................... 44 5.7 Limitation of the Research .................................................................................................. 45 Chapter 6 Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 46 6.1 The Diversified Funding Base............................................................................................. 46 6.1.1 Diversified financial sources ........................................................................................ 46 6.1.2 Internal budget allocations ............................................................................................ 49 6.2 The Expanded Developmental Periphery ............................................................................ 53 6.2.1 External organizations collaboration ............................................................................ 54 6.2.2 KMUTT outreach administrative units ......................................................................... 56 6.3 The Strengthened Steering Core ......................................................................................... 61 6.3.1 Change and income oriented administrators ................................................................ 62 6.3.2 Flexibility, effectiveness and adaptiveness of university managerial structure ........... 63 6.4.3 Power balance between top, middle and lower level management .............................. 66 iv 6.3.4 Collegial connections between academics and administrators ..................................... 68 6.4 The Stimulated Academic Heartland .................................................................................. 69 6.4.1 Administrative involvement ......................................................................................... 69 6.4.2 Participation in income generating ..............................................................................