Reconfiguring tourism research careers and capacity in Thailand: a participatory governance perspective

Tourism research and innovation (R&I) are vital to destination competitiveness, evidence-based policymaking, and sustainable development, yet the governance mechanisms linking researcher development to effective outcomes remain underexplored. Drawing on Human Capital Theory and Institutional Theory, this study examines how researcher development support, strategic management capacity, operational efficiency, and stakeholder engagement influence tourism research effectiveness in Thailand. A mixed-methods design combined survey data from 409 tourism researchers with qualitative insights from 52 senior research leaders across universities, research institutes, and government agencies. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) tested structural relationships, while thematic analysis examined institutional barriers. Researcher Development Support had the strongest direct effect on Research Outcome Effectiveness, while Strategic Management Capacity emerged as the key governance mechanism translating researcher capabilities into organizational outcomes. It significantly mediated the relationship between development support and research effectiveness. In contrast, Operational Efficiency and Stakeholder Engagement showed no significant direct effects. Qualitative findings highlighted fragmented governance, career uncertainty, mentorship deficits, administrative bottlenecks, and misaligned evaluation systems. The study concludes that tourism research effectiveness depends on both human capital investment and institutions’ strategic capacity to align priorities, coordinate resources, support career pathways, and connect research with organizational objectives.