STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCING THE COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY STUDENTS OF CHANGCHUN CITY IN CHINA

Abstract

This research examined the factors of successful university-industry partnership in Changchun City, China, on the basis of the quality of communication, sharing of resources, curriculum and policy facilitation. The mixed-methods approach was used to collect and analyze quantitative data (368 respondents). Descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression were used to analyze the results, whereas qualitative data was collected using open, axial, and selective coding. The quantitative findings showed that the communication quality (β = 0.41, p < .001) and resource sharing (β= 0.35, p < 0.001) turned out to be the most powerful predictors of the cooperation effectiveness (R² = 0.492), then came curriculum alignment (β = 0.22, p = .001) and policy support (β = 0.15, p = .004). These findings were supported by qualitative results whereby five broad themes were identified that included communication and coordination, shared cooperation goals, policy and regulatory support, trust and organizational culture, and access to resources. According to the participants, collaboration was impeded by informal communication, unequal policy implementation, and unequal distribution of resources. On the other hand, common learning, openness, and trust were considered to be drivers of the success of long-term partnership. The results indicate that sustainable university-industry collaboration should be facilitated by optimal communication systems, equal distribution of resources, and strengthening of policy frames. The research adds to the overall comprehension of collaborative governance and provides effective suggestions to policymakers and institutional leaders that would like to enhance academic-industrial relationships in the context of emerging innovation ecosystems.