Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a tool to send and receive documents using computer technologies.  This study analyzes the EDI policy in Thailand, focusing particularly on its outcomes and impacts on entrepreneurs in Bangkok.  To this end, the study examines cross-sectional data collected from a sample of respondents consisting of forty-four transportation companies, ten retailers, twenty-five suppliers, one health care service, six Value-Added Networks (VANs), and eight state agencies.

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the EDI policy in Thailand by comparing the desired outcomes with the actual outcomes of the policy.  In addition, interviews with key staff members will illuminate the qualitative aspects of the impacts.  The analysis involves the policy level, the sector level, the organizational level, and the individual level; thus the analysis presents a hierarchical style of investigation.

In order to assess various domains of EDI satisfaction, this study utilizes factor analysis, which helps to examine the construct validity of the measurement scales.  Factor analysis also enables us to determine the weight of individual variables included in a scale and to reduce the number of variables to a handful set of factors, thus making meaningful interpretation possible.  In measuring the direct and indirect influence of various variables upon EDI satisfaction, the study employs the path analysis technique, which formulates conceptual models of the outcome and impact evaluation.  Multiple regression is also employed in the path model.

The evaluation of the outcomes reveals that the EDI policy in Thailand is not fully effective because it cannot accomplish all of the government’s objectives.

The impact evaluation is done by means of a stakeholder analysis.  The evaluation reveals that the respondents, by and large, have positive attitudes toward EDI and the EDI policy.  However, many of the respondents expressed negative attitudes toward the EDI laws.  This is partly because they tend to consider the EDI laws as an increasing burden to double their workload rather than reducing paperwork.  Overall, EDI satisfaction is assessed through policy support, inter-organization cooperation, intra-organization support, and individual support.  This study has found that intra-organization cooperation is the best predictor of EDI satisfaction.  The factors related to intra-organization cooperation are EDI team including management support and support from cross-functionality.  Other direct effects are policy satisfaction and educational attainment (namely, the under-high school level).

TradeSiam pertains to the major issue underlying the weakness and drawback of the EDI policy for at least three reasons.  First of all, the establishment of TradeSiam was too late to meet the current demand for EDI.  Secondly, TradeSiam is not the one national EDI service provider.  Finally, TradeSiam cannot provide translation software.  These all contradict the principles of the EDI policy in Thailand.

This study concludes that laws are the key to determine success or failure of EDI.  In addition, the cooperation among organizations and within an organization also plays an important role in pursuing EDI.  Support from the management side will definitely encourage more organizations to take EDI into consideration.  The Thailand EDI Council should be more responsible for the EDI policy.  For example, they should monitor and follow-up the policy more closely in order to solve problems quickly.  This study suggests that state agencies should play a vital role in implementing EDI in Thailand.  They are expected to be the leader disseminating this technology.  They can also solve all problems by stimulating trading partners and other concerned agencies.  Finally, the study recommends that more staff members be trained in the arena of public relations and technical support, and more telephone lines be facilitated to serve efficiently for trading partners all the time.