Journal of Software Engineering and Applications, 2013, 6, 111-113
doi:10.4236/jsea.2013.63b024 Published Online March 2013 (http://www.scirp.org/journal/jsea)
111
Analysis of Core Competency Required for the Managerial
Work Force of Small and Medium Enterprises in Taiwan
Chien-Hua Shen1, Chun-Mei Chou2, Hsi-Chi Hsiao3, Yu-Je Lee4
1Department of Business Administration, TransWorld University, Yunlin, Taiwan, China; 2Institute of Vocational & Technological
Education, National Yunlin University of Science & Technology, Yunlin, Taiwan, China; 3Graduate Institute of Business and Ad-
ministration, Cheng Shiu University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, China; 4Takming University of Science & Technology, Taipei, Taiwan,
China.
Received 2013
ABSTRACT
This study aims to probe into the core competencies, as should be possessed by the managerial work forces of firms,
from the perspective of employers’ in small and medium enterprises. The findings can serve as references for planning
core courses of employee training and labor employment. Based on the research purposes, this study adopted revised
DACUM, conducted literature review, and applied a questionnaire survey. The subjects were the members of SMEs
Honor Instructor Association of Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan, and the Society of Management Science. Ran-
dom sampling was used, with the number of employees as the units. The valid return rate was 24.2%. After testing
goodness of fit of K-S single samples, this study found that a corporate management work force should have 11 items of
core competency, and 35 items of secondary competency.
Keywords: Small and Medium Enterprises; Enterprise Training; Core Competency
1. Introduction
1.1. Research Background and Motives
Upon a goal-oriented course design concept, course de-
sign should consider the needs of the employment units.
Although the government of Taiwan estimates the de-
mand for labor every year, it does not provide specific
data regarding the quality and quantity of competency
required by managerial workers as the references for
course design [1]. Currently, competency analysis of the
management work force in Taiwan is mostly based on
literature reviews and generalization. However, because
of changing environments and the progress of technology
in recent years, it is necessary to probe into the changing
demands for competency of managerial labor in business
circles, and the quality and quantity of educational con-
tent in educational circles.
As suggested above, due to the progress of technology
information, lifelong learning and self-oriented learning
capability become more important. In other words,
learning refers to the learning skills of students, rather
than simple knowledge learning. Knowledge learning
should be combined with the students’ career develop-
ments in order to facilitate both a learning base and ca-
pability. Thus, in schools, in addition to the instruction of
general and professional knowledge, it is more important
to enhance the students’ core competency in order that
they can adapt to environmental changes, which will also
satisfy individual needs for career development and de-
mands of work forces in business circles [2]. Therefore,
by competency analysis-revised DACUM (Developing A
Curriculum), seen from the employers’ perspective, this
study constructs the core competencies required by cor-
porate management labor forces to function as the crite-
rion for course design in technological institutes, which
is the main research motive.
1.2. Research Purposes
This study aims to construct the core competencies of
corporate management labor from the employers’ per-
spectives and abilities analysis. The research purposes
are as shown below:
(1) To establish core competencies, as should be pos-
sessed by corporate management work forces.
(2) To construct the secondary competencies of the
core competencies of corporate management.
2. Research Method
2.1. Research Subjects
According to the research purposes, this study adopted

Analysis of Core Competency Required for the Managerial Work Force of Small and
Medium Enterprises in Taiwan
112
competency analysis -revised DACUM (Developing A
Curriculum) and a questionnaire survey. The subjects
were as shown below:
1) Competency analysis -revised DACUM: this study
treated the members of SMEs Honor Instructor Associa-
tion of Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan and
on-the-job members of the Chinese Management Asso-
ciation as subjects. By purposive sampling, ten research
samples are selected.
2) Questionnaire survey: in order to probe into the
goodness of fit of core competencies, this study treated
the members as the employers in the central Taiwan
SMEs Honor Instructor Association of Ministry of Eco-
nomic Affairs, Taiwan, and Society of Management Sci-
ence as the subjects, about 1200 people. After cording by
random sampling, and according to the research findings
of Krejcie & Morgan (1970), 200 samples were selected.
2.2. Research Tools
By self-designed questionnaire, this study collected the
samples’ views regarding goodness of fit of the core
competencies of corporate management, as constructed
by this study. The questionnaire content was based on
competency analysis and job market developments of
different countries. Questionnaire contents and construc-
tion of reliability and validity are as described below.
1) Content of questionnaire: Questionnaire survey of
goodness of fit of “core competencies of corporate
managerial work force” includes two parts:
a) Basic information
(1) The subjects’ gender: Males and females.
(2) Total number of employees: According to small
and medium enterprises, as defined by the Ministry of
Economic Affairs of Taiwan, distribution numbers are as
follows, 1. 5 people, 6-20 people, 21-50 people, 51-100
people, and above 100 people.
b) Content of questionnaire
Core competencies are divided into 12 items, with 38
sub-abilities. The questionnaire is based on a five-point
self-reported scale, where 1-7 indicates the goodness of
fit of the abilities, as suggested by the samples.
2) Construction of reliability and validity
a.) Reliability
Upon the questionnaire design, the researcher treats
the members of SMEs Honor Instructor Association in
Yunlin of Taiwan, and the employers in the Industrial
Park of Douliu as the subjects. There are 100 pretest
questionnaires distributed, with 63 returned. After testing
internal consistency, Cronbach’s α is 0.86.
b) Validity
Upon the questionnaire design, this study invited two
employees of the national employment service center of
the Tainan Bureau of Employment and Vocational
Training, three representatives from business circles, and
two representatives from academia to review the propri-
ety of the wording in the questionnaire in order to con-
struct content validity for the questionnaire.
2.3. Research Process
1) Capability analysis
a) This study treated the members as the employers of
SEMs Honor Instructor Association of Ministry of Eco-
nomic Affairs Taiwan, and the Chinese Management
Association as the subjects. By telephone, the researcher
selected 15 subjects that had the intention to participate
and could join in discussions to form the team of
DACUM competency analysis.
b) The first DACUM competency analysis: prior to the
conference, this study reorganized the related data as the
references for participants. The members shared opinions
during a 4 hour discussion, and developed 12 items of
core competency.
c) The second DACUM competency analysis: based
on the outcome of the first conference, in the second
conference, the researcher described the expected core
competencies, and conducted competency analysis on the
items. The second conference lasted about 3 hours, and
developed 38 items of secondary competency.
d) This study reorganized the 38 items of secondary
competency, and developed the questionnaire goodness
of fit regarding “core competencies of business manage-
ment labor forces”. On October 21, 2011, there were 200
questionnaires sent. On November 6, the first return of
questionnaire was finished, with 43 returned. After the
urge of return and distribution of 100 questionnaires,
there were finally 88 returns. The researcher eliminated
questionnaires with incomplete answered, and obtained
85 valid returns, for a return rate of 24.2%.
2.4. Data Analysis
In order to accomplish the research purposes, this study
adopts frequency distribution and goodness of fit of K-S
single sample as the statistical procedure for data analy-
sis in order to recognize the samples’ consistent views
regarding the capabilities goodness of fit.
Statistical significance level is set as 0.05.
3. Conclusions and Suggestions
From the employers’ point of view, this study aims to
probe into the core competencies required by corporate
managerial labor forces as the criterion for management
departments of technological and vocational institutes for
course planning. The conclusions and suggestions are as
below.

Analysis of Core Competency Required for the Managerial Work Force of Small and
Medium Enterprises in Taiwan
113
Table 5-1. Core and secondary competencies, as should be
possessed by management labor forces.
Core competencies Secondary competencies
Computer competency
Basic computer use
Use of Word
Use of Excel
Use of database programs
Internet use
Team work competency Team work training
Special project management capability
Knowledge management
capability
Data collection
Data analysis capability
File construction of data
Self-oriented learning
capability
Capable of learning new knowledge
Advanced learning intentions
Good learning attitude
Quality and cost manage-
ment capability
Work planning capability
Concept of quality
Concept of cost
Figure management capability
Self-management capabil-
ity
Emotional management capability
Career planning ability
Family life
Interpersonal relationships
Leadership
Conflict coping capability
Financial capability
Planning capability
Crisis management ability
Work ethics
Ethical concepts
Responsibility Loyalty'
Appearance and manners
Communication capability Verbal expression capability
Negotiation capability
Thinking capability Independent thinking capability
Problem-solving capability
Language proficiency English proficiency
Japanese proficiency
3.1. Research Cconclusions
1) In small and medium enterprises, managerial work
forces should possess 11 items of core competency.
By revised DACUM and questionnaire survey, according
to outcomes of data analysis, corporate employers all
suggested 11 items of core competency required by a
management labor force: computer competency, team
work competency, knowledge management capability, self-
oriented learning capability, quality and cost manage-
mment capability, self-management capability, leadership,
work ethics, communication capability, thinking capability,
and language proficiency.
2) The 35 items of secondary core competency required
by corporate management labor forces.
After revised DACUM and the questionnaire survey,
according to outcomes of data analysis, the employers
suggested 35 items of secondary core competencies re-
quired by a management labor force, as in Table 5-1.
3.2. Research Suggestions
1) To analyze the tasks of core and secondary com-
petencies of corporate management labor forces as the
references of development of teaching materials.
Regarding the 11 items of core competency and 35
items of secondary competency of corporate manage-
ment labor, as constructed by this study, the researcher
should conduct task analysis in order to establish the
expertise, knowledge, and assignments of the capabilities,
for use as the references of development of teaching
materials.
2) To construct the indicators of core competency and
secondary competency of corporate management labor.
By revised DACUM and collection of the employers’
opinions, this study constructed 11 items of core compe-
tency, and 35 items of secondary competency, as should
be possessed by corporate management labor forces. This
study further developed the indicators of secondary
competencies as the references for business circles to
plan enterprise training courses and evaluate training
effectiveness, for use as reference for technological and
vocational institutes’ planning core courses, and the con-
struction of instructional goals for different subjects.
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