Primera tesis (21 de febrero de 1986 al 28 de enero de 1988)

Interview Question 8:

Do you think that students have a stronger sense of belonging and commitment (to the community) after completing this course?

More than half of the respondents reported that students in the BSC have a strong and growing sense of commitment to the community.

Sense of belonging and commitment

Students' altruistic activities in the BSC were seen by respondents as producing a sense of belonging and commitment which would outlast the short period of the BSC and be retained by students into the future. Typical comments were as follows:

Certainly! There is another activity, which we have not mentioned, and that is to give help to old people at a home for the aged or even orphans at an orphanage. Students will have a chance to see people who are in need of help and they will pay more attention to these activities later on in life (STA # 4).

Sure enough! Students who are involved in the community might work with the community members in the future… this is a community in which students have to care about others and develop their involvement. It's reciprocal (NUS #4).

An alumnus expressed his sense of belonging and commitment following the BSC, as follows:

I think so; when students run the simulated company, they may join the community members to sell products or whatever, and think about what the community needs. When the student understands what is best for the community they might feel a sense of belonging to the community….I am very proud of working in the 'Dummy Company' which was a real-life experience. Since then I've met customers who were former customers, when I worked as a BSC student. I felt that Payap Dummy Company's activities were part of the community (NUS # 6).

Several respondents commented that former BSC students had a well-developed and growing sense of belonging. This, in the future, may lead to greater contributions to the community:

They might understand the community's problems when they deal with community members. Then, students think about how to solve the

problems. Thus, students might have a sense of belonging; they want to help the community (STA # 2).

… they might feel that they are part of the community because they will have a close working relationship with community members. Then students would feel that they have to help or have a sense of belonging to the community (STA # 7).

The respondents reported that both students and non-university stakeholders involved in the BSC felt attached to the community because they had worked in business together, as partners in a common endeavour, and had shared experience of work. Typical comments were as follows:

Yes! I feel like that. We have to trade and deal with clients. They are our prospective customers, so that we have to connect by working and making friends with them as a member of their community (STU # 5). The BSC's suppliers might know and accept students who work effectively, so that when they graduate these suppliers would let them work in their companies. Especially, when students deal with OTOP suppliers, they might feel a bond of friendship and this could lead to a future business relationship (NUS # 3)

Some respondents were concerned that students might not have an enduring sense of belonging and commitment to the community. The view was expressed by a non- university respondent that student commitment to the community was really self- motivated and that students were more interested in furthering their own career prospects than being part of the community:

It is my belief that I don't think they would because the BSC is a short term course. …These days, for marketing graduates, they want to have work experience from a big city. They do not want to work locally and get 4,000 Baht a month, they can't…this is because our social system is failing… (NUS # 8).

The same respondent went on to stress that the BSC is a relatively short-term experience; therefore, students would not have time to develop a sense of commitment to the community.

Whether students have a sense of belonging or not, depends on the time they have been working with the community… The relationship between students and the community, a sense of belonging to the community…these will take time… Students work with the community should be for four years, not for three months as it is right now… (NUS # 8).

Generally, however, respondents felt that there was a sense of belonging which was created by working in the community. The BSC students believed in the importance of giving back to the community; having a sense of belonging and commitment to the community. This commitment continued as the BSC prepared students for careers in the professional and business worlds.

Summary of the Findings Related to Research Question 3

The major findings for RQ 3: How effectively does the BSC prepare students to work with the community?

All respondents strongly agreed that students and the university must be community- oriented. In addition, the university was expected to produce graduates who could work effectively in the real world and who promoted themselves as people who contributed to the community. Students also learned that providing good quality products was the best way to gain a good business reputation and acceptance in any community.

Payap University tries to encourage students to work effectively with the community. The BSC prepares students to work in a real business world, by providing them with the opportunity to gain experience in business etiquette, business knowledge and business skills.

Benefits to the community derived from students' activities include: donations, availability of products, fostering reciprocity and student support of the community. Overall, according to more than half of the respondents, students in the BSC were considered to have developed a stronger sense of belonging and commitment to the community. Most respondents agreed that community work was a useful way to increase the students' sense of purpose and to help them find a sense of fulfilment in their work.