Economic Impacts Assessment of the Portable Electric Canting Pen Innovation on Enhancing Community Level Batik Production Capacity

Abstract

This research aimed to examine the economic impact resulting from the transfer of the portable electric canting pen and to propose guidelines for further development of this innovation to enable wider application. The study sample consisted of 55 participants, including batik entrepreneurs and educational institutions in Southern Thailand who had previously received the technology transfer. Data were collected through interviews conducted after the training. The findings revealed that 13 entrepreneurs adopted the innovation in their production and sales processes, leading to changes in cost structures. Specifically, these included: (1) reduced wax preparation time, calculated by comparing time saved against traditional methods; (2) reduced wax writing time, where the decrease in time was valued using labor wages as a financial proxy for savings; and (3) reduced wax material costs compared to traditional consumption. These improvements generated a total economic benefit of 108,657.08 THB within one year, equivalent to an average of 8,358.24 THB per entrepreneur. The results indicate that the portable electric canting pen has practical potential for real-world application and should be further developed in four key areas: design and usability, materials and production processes, learning and knowledge transfer, and publicity and dissemination, in order to enhance acceptance and expand usage on a broader scale.