Factor Analysis of Competency Models for Engineers in Local Administrative Organizations Case Study: Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Abstract

          Objectives: This study aimed to examine and analyze the competency factors of engineers in local administrative organizations (LAOs) that are suitable and practically applicable. The study evaluated engineering performance in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

          Methods: The study population consisted of 91 LAOs, including one provincial administrative organization, one city municipality, four town municipalities, and 85 subdistrict municipalities, totaling 303 individuals selected through random sampling. The research instrument were validated by two expert groups: (1) three experts assessed the content validity with an Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) ranging from 0.67 to 1.00, and (2) ten experts evaluated the instrument reliability, yielding a Cronbach's alpha of 0.92. Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess the model fit with empirical data.

           Results: The findings revealed that the competency factors of engineers in LAOs that are suitable and practically applicable consist of five factors: knowledge, skills, personal attributes, attitudes, and ethics. Notably, statistical analysis skills and the attitude of learning from others showed the highest factor loadings, reflecting the importance of data analysis and interactive learning. The two models explained 70.229% and 71.187% of the total variance, respectively, and demonstrated a good fit with empirical data, as evidenced by the fit indices: relative chi-square (CMIN/DF) = 1.829 and 1.867, incremental fit index (IFI) = 0.914 and 0.913, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.906 and 0.905, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.913 and 0.911, and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.066 and 0.068, respectively.