Developing Strategic Management Guidelines for the Enhancement of Cooperative Relationship between Secondary Vocational Schools and Communities of Guangxi Electro-mechanical Industry School, China

Abstract

The objectives of this study were: 1) to investigate the problems and needs for a strategic management guideline for secondary vocational schools to strengthen their partnership with the community; and 2) to develop a strategic management guideline for secondary vocational schools to strengthen their partnership with the community. This study employed Guangxi Mechanical and Electrical Industrial School in China as research samples. The samples in this study, namely 160 school members and 288 community members. The survey employed a questionnaire as the research instrument and consisted of three parts. In addition, a set of questions was employed as a tool for focus group discussions. All questions in the questionnaire were evaluated and approved by three experts to ensure their correctness in terms of IOC scores. A Likert scale was used to rate or rank the respondents' opinions on various aspects of strengthening the partnership between secondary vocational schools and the community. The information and data collected were analyzed through the content analysis method and presented in terms of frequency, mean, and standard deviation. The results of the study indicated that 1) the problems and needs of partnership between secondary vocational schools and the community was rated "highest". 2) In addition, the strategic management guidelines developed consisted of four modules: namely 2.1) Conceptual renewal is the key of the enhancement of cooperative relationship, 2) Sound mechanisms as a guarantee of the enhancement of cooperative relationship, 2.3) Capacity enhancement is at the heart of the enhancement of cooperative relationship, 2.4) Two-way interaction as a guideline of the enhancement of cooperative relationship. Three experts assessed and approved the correctness and applicability of each module. The developed strategic management guidelines were applicable to strengthen the partnership between schools and the community.