Methodology
Owing to the complex mixture of institutions within the HVE systems in Taiwan (including
technology universities, vocational colleges, and junior colleges), each entity differs in
educational goals and characteristics. Correspondingly, a development framework must
address various educational resources. The following conceptual development framework
arises out of a coalescence of several research activities and ideas. The grounded research
comprised the following elements in progression:
1. Documentary analysis: The data gathered in this study came from government
documents and publications, as well as domestic and international periodicals. The
data were described, analysed, and summarised, through comprehensive
discrimination and comparison.
2. In-depth interviews: The in interviews attempted to verify the literature analysis
results. This study involved seven interviewers within academia, industry and the
educational departments in the public sector, as well as experienced academics with
over two decades of experience in administrative positions, such as presidents,
deans and professors. Those in the public sector were the current or the previous
CEOs of international tourism hotels. Those from the public sector included the
director of the vocational sector of the Ministry of Education. The outline of the
interview was formed using open-ended questions. Due to the earlier completion of
a significant amount of literature analysis, interviews focussed on actual curricula,
the problems that educators faced, and future developments in TH aspects of HVE.
3. Focus groups: To achieve valid and reliable research contents, experts were
consulted to validate and modify the development framework of this study. For
further confirmation of the data, following documentary analysis and in-depth
interviews that were empirically cross-validated, two focus groups were formed, in
2008, in northern and southern Taiwan. Seven experts and scholars in the TH field
were invited for discussion on the topic of development framework and structural
elements of TH.
The qualitative research involving the interviews described above represented a significant
phase in the evolution of the framework. The following set of questions guided these openended
interviews:
1. What issues do you consider that the TH areas of HVE in Taiwan will face?
2. If you were to change these environmental factors, which roles (stakeholders) are
important? What roles should they play?
3. How would you develop a well rounded development framework for TH in HVE?
4. What objectives should a school establish so that they can achieve
competitiveness in the TH areas of HVE?
5. What do you consider to be critical determinants of TH curricula of HVE in Taiwan?
What contents and key points should be of focus for each determinant?