Are Leaders in Thailand Prepared for Thailand 4.0?

Abstract

Industry 4.0 is celebrated in Thailand as the next level of economic success for their country. The concept is also called Thailand 4.0 to emphasize that for the adapted Thai version of Industry 4.0, Creativity and Innovation are defined as the main targets. This study aimed to investigate whether leaders in Thailand are prepared for Industry 4.0. Data were gathered using qualitative methods. For this research paper, a sample of 15 leaders was interviewed in Bangkok who are all successful leaders of small, medium-sized and big companies. The findings depict that these leaders are ready for creativity and innovation, hence ready for Thailand 4.0. Empowerment, support, and self-efficacy are the main sources of innovation. All leaders in this study show that they have created work cultures where these values are active. The results provide evidence indicating that all leaders are very open-minded in trying different creative approaches to develop creative ideas. All are willing to integrate their subordinates into finding creative solutions. The current study is novel in that it is one of only a few studies that cover this topic. Furthermore, the findings highlight the factors that can influence change management and that leaders must focus on in order to effect change.