FACTORS AFFECTING TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT AND REQUESTING GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES IN UTTARADIT PROVINCE AND PHRAE PROVINCE

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to investigate the factors affecting the decision to adopt technology used in small and medium-sized enterprises and examine the Infrastructural factors of government agencies that affect the requests for government support by small and medium-sized enterprises in the areas of Uttaradit and Phrae Province. The population included 3,364 entrepreneurs in Uttaradit and Phrae Provinces, with a sample size of 128 cases. Data collection was conducted with questionnaires and analyzed with descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, also using inferential statistics by generalized linear model and logistic regression analysis. The study results revealed that the factors that significantly influenced the decisions at the 0.05 level included the type and extent of business experiences, confidence in their abilities, decision-making, and technological experimentation. It was found that the Infrastructural factors of government agencies that affect the requests for government support by small and medium-sized enterprises in the areas of Uttaradit and Phrae Province consisted of the government policy, the knowledge and technology, and the cooperation between government and private sectors, all of which were significant at the 0.05 level. If government agencies enhanced policies to support various aspects of business operations, including fostering cooperation between the public and private sectors for SME entrepreneurs, it would increase opportunities for these entrepreneurs to seek support from government bodies. These responsibilities are distributed across several agencies; namely, Department of Industrial Promotion, which provides central machinery services to entrepreneurs and new investors; the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, which promotes the commercialization of technology and research; and the Ministry of Commerce, which promotes marketing and product exports. All these agencies aim to collectively foster the effective growth of SMEs.