Establishing Competency Development Evaluation Systems and Talent Cultivation Strategies for the Service Industry Using the Hybrid MCDM Approach

Abstract

Previously, coffee baristas only needed to learn basic coffee brewing skills. Today, in addition to coffee brewing skills, baristas also need to be able to identify the quality of coffee beans, select the appropriate way of roasting specific beans, and explain the growing regions and production processes for different coffees to customers. As coffee practitioners’ competency gradually becomes specialized and complicated, understanding professional competency needs is critical to effectively cultivating a new generation of coffee practitioners. Further, without this understanding, it will be difficult to maintain the competitiveness of coffee industry practitioners in the third-wave coffee revolution. This study seeks to understand coffee consumers’ service needs and coffee competency needs for the industry and to determine the driving forces of professional competency needs for the coffee (beverage) industry. In understanding coffee competency needs, we can analyze the status and gaps in coffee professionals’ competency. Therefore, this study attempts to identify the professional competency needs of coffee industry practitioners (coffee operators and coffee workers) and consumers and introduces four major aspects (professional skills, professional knowledge, personal characteristics, and self-efficacy) to construct the competency needs and determine the network relation map (NRM). This research found that PK (professional knowledge) was the dominant aspect, and SE (self-efficacy) was the aspect being dominated. Moreover, the PK aspect affects the aspects of PS (professional skills), PC (personal characteristics), and SE (self-efficacy), and the PS aspect affects the aspects of PC and SE. Additionally, the PC aspect affects the SE aspect. Further, this study can aid various coffee service businesses in establishing competency development strategy maps and redefining coffee professionals’ competency to achieve professional competency goals through staff selection and training and using their talents.