CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.2 C ASE S TUDY AND I NTERVIEW FOR L EISURE A GRICULTURE S ERVICE
This study adopts a single case design method (Yin, 1994) in both Chapter 4 and Chapter 7 micro viewpoint evaluation part. As the single case study design is intended for representative and typical case studies, the conclusions drawn from the case studies can help understand similar incidents and matters. Therefore, to understand the development of leisure agriculture, this study selects the first leisure agriculture area in Taiwan, namely the Mt. Pillow Recreational Agriculture Area, as a case study.
The case study considers theory, proposition, hypotheses, testing analysis and data collection, based on in-depth interviews, observation, and documentary sources.
Triangulation was used to gather data for analysis (Sarker and Lee 2003; Shanks and Parr, 2008).
Four criteria are adopted to ensure the quality of the case study: construct validity, internal validity, external validity, and reliability assessment (Lee, 1989, Yin 1994, Sarker and Lee 2003). Table 3.1 lists the four criteria.
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Table 3.1 Rigor of the Study
Criteria Case Study Strategy Remark
Construct include: leisure industry related literature, government records and reports, interviews with operators, and direct observation of The leisure
The interviewers shall inform the respondents in advance regarding the purpose of the interview.
At the end of the interview, the interviewers will play the interview video for the respondents and will further ask the respondents to give comments.
To establish a chain of evidence.
The interview is conducted for a period of three months. After each interview, the interview content will be compiled to serve as a reference for the next interview.
Internal Validity
Pattern matching This study covers discussion of leisure agriculture through the Industry Cluster Theory and SDL.
To establish interpretation
To establish the casual relationship of the leisure agriculture development through three hypotheses.
The discussion covers the leisure agriculture area, which is divided into four stages.
To apply the copy rules
Different problems are encountered during the development process in the leisure agriculture area. The development processes summarized from the four stages according to Industry Development Theory (Merz and Vargo, 2009) can be applied in different agricultural areas.
Reliability
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3.2.1 Case Study: Mt. Pillow Leisure Agriculture Area
In Yilan County, agriculture has always been assigned more weight than industry and commerce in terms of its industrial development. Moreover, this situation has been aggravated by rising costs in the traditional agriculture sector and shrinking farmer income, as well as the opening up to agricultural imports following the entry of Taiwan to the WTO. The Yilan County government has thus actively promoted the transformation of the traditional agriculture into the leisure agriculture, following the
“Regulations for Guidance and Management of Recreational Agriculture
“promulgated by the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan. As of the end of 2009, a total of 13 leisure agriculture areas were established in Yilan County.
This study adopts the leisure agriculture area of Mt. Pillow as the research venue to discuss the effects of the recreational industry on overall regional development. Mt.
Pillow is not only the first leisure agriculture area in Yilan County, but also the first formally announced designated leisure agriculture area in the nation. The Mt. Pillow Leisure Agriculture Area is located in close geographical proximity to four villages:
Jhen-Shan Village, Tung-Le Village, Tou-Fen Village, and Yung-He Village.
Jhen-Shan Village, occupying an area of 78 hectares, is the main focus of planning.
The Mt. Pillow Leisure Agriculture Area boasts natural landscapes including Mt.
Pillow, Ta Chiaohsi, the Big Tree, the Thunder Pond, and so on. The area contains a wealth of rich ecological resources, primarily fruit crops. The area contains over 30 kinds of fruits, making it the largest fruit supplier in Yilan County. Fruit picking services are also available to tourists all year round. Because of the natural environment and unique environmental resources, the leisure industry of the Mt.
Pillow Leisure Agriculture Area has undergone rapid development. Various experiential farms and hostel theme restaurants are also available and can help tourists
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experience the color of rural life. Figure 3.2 to 3.5 are the pictures in Pillow Leisure Agriculture Area.
Figure 3.2 Scenery in Pillow Leisure Agriculture Area (1)
Figure 3.3 Scenery in Pillow Leisure Agriculture Area (2)
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Figure 3.4 Scenery in Pillow Leisure Agriculture Area (3)
Figure 3.5 Scenery in Pillow Leisure Agriculture Area (4)
3.2.2 Interview in Mt. Pillow Leisure Agriculture Area
The current development of leisure agriculture was based on site observation.
This study adopts the Mt. Pillow Leisure Agriculture Area in YuanShan Township in Yilan County as the case study area. Site observation and interviews were conducted with officers, SME operators, owners, and local residents to determine the current situation of the leisure agriculture operation and the problems encountered in regional
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development. Leisure industry operations in the area comprise two types, namely, leisure farms, and hostel restaurants. The restaurants enjoy considerably better business than the leisure farms. Meanwhile, the leisure farms can be subdivided into two types, namely, simple leisure farms and compound leisure farms.
Given the changes in industrial structure, the transformation of traditional agriculture into leisure agriculture will become a future regional development trend.
This study explores the causal relationship between leisure industry development and overall regional development. This study adopted a qualitative research approach and conducted in-depth interviews and focus group with officers, proprietors, owners, and local residents in agricultural areas. Interviews and focus group were performed. The first stage was conducted from December 2009 to March 2010, and 2 regional ownerships, 14 SMEs, and 8 local residents were interviewed. In March 2010, there were total 34 SMEs in Mt. Pillow Leisure Agriculture Area and 14 SMEs are interviewed. Large leisure farm operators and Hostel operators were selected to perform interview in the first stage.
Table 3.2 lists the interview subjects and the categories they fall under. The interview contents comprised two parts: the first part related to the current situation of the leisure agriculture operation, regional leisure industrial development, regional leisure industry organization operation, and so on; meanwhile, the second part related to the overall impacts of leisure industry development on the natural ecology, environmental resources, history and culture, and area residents.
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Table 3.2 Respondent Information of Interview in the First Stage Respondent
impacts of leisure industry development on the natural
* indicates ownerships such as community development associations and leisure agriculture area development associations.
In the second stage, a focus group was performed when the prototype of uVoyage service platform completed in June 2011. uVoyage service platform was introduced and experienced by all participants before the focus group. The focus group session started right after the uVoyage education training session. All participating SMEs (Table 3.3) completed their uVoyage B2B module setting. There were two topics for discussion in this focus group. The first one was about the uVoyage B2C service design - emotional feelings resulting from the tourist’s service experiences having significant influences on SME’s brand and images. Another topic was about uVoyage B2B service design - influences the customer-driven cooperation would impact the tourist’s service experience, SME’s brand and images.
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Table 3.3 Respondent Information of Focus Group in the Second Stage Respondent officers were interviewed first. These interviewees were the members of Digital Opportunity Center in Yilan established by Ministry of Education. Their mission was to improve regional economy by developing regional ICT infrastructure and education.
The regions they were responsible for were YuanShan and Nanao Township in Yilan County. Additionally, another focus group was conducted with six regional tourism SMEs in Mt. Pillow Leisure Agriculture Area (Table 3.4). Both contents of interview and focus group were about what and how the proposed mechanisms in uVoyage service platform could influence the development and growth of regional tourism.
Table 3.4 Respondent Information of Focus Group in the Third Stage Respondent category Numbers of
Respondents
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