VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS IN VOCATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION: MAPPING PRIMARY AND SUPPORT ACTIVITIES

Abstract

Vocational education plays an important role in preparing graduates with practical skills that meet industry demands. However, the educational process in vocational institutions often involves a series of interconnected activities that are not always clearly understood in terms of how value is created. Previous studies on value chain analysis in education tend to focus on institutional performance, with limited attention to program-level analysis, particularly in vocational culinary education. This study aims to analyze and map the primary and supporting activities that shape the educational process using a Value Chain Analysis approach. It adopts a qualitative descriptive method and is designed as a single-case study of the D3 Pastry Arts Program at NHI Bandung Tourism Polytechnic. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis, and were analyzed using NVivo software. The findings show that primary activities consist of input, operations, output, marketing, and services, while supporting activities include human resource management, technology development, infrastructure, and procurement. The study reveals that value creation is mainly driven by practice-based learning, particularly laboratory activities and industry internships, which transform theoretical knowledge into practical competencies. At the same time, supporting systems such as infrastructure and human resources play a critical role in ensuring the effectiveness of these processes. This study contributes to vocational education management by demonstrating how Porter’s Value Chain framework can be adapted to a practice-based learning context. The findings also provide practical insights for improving program management and strengthening the alignment between education and industry needs.