Designing a Professional Competency Model for Principals Based on Open Innovation Approach in Technical and Vocational Schools

The present study was conducted with the aim of designing a model of professional competencies of vocational school principals with an open innovation approach and its validation. Qualitative research is a classic foundation data type. Participants include 20 experts and the director of the conservatory, purposefully sampled and interviewed in a semi-structured manner. The data are encoded using MAXQDAv2020 software, and the researcher has used the Strauss and Corbin acceptance indicators, the technique of visit by members and the self-review approach for validation of the research model. The findings show that the model of professional competencies of the directors of technical and vocational schools with open innovation approach includes 9 main competencies and 20 sub-competencies as follow: social competencies (cultural competence, social responsibility); Cognitive competencies (self-confidence and self-assurance, perfectionism and professional development); Specialized competencies (technical, scientific and functional competencies); Knowledge competencies (general level knowledge, basic level knowledge and professional level knowledge competencies); Attitudinal competencies (systemic thinking and problem solving strategy competencies); Personality competencies (self-awareness and independence, positivity and realism); Communication and networking (competence to establish external and internal communications); Developmental competencies (advocacy for IT, transformation and change management); Strategic and leadership competencies (goal-oriented and planning competencies). The listed methods for validating the model show that it has the necessary validity. The findings of this study provide implications for training and improving the directors of vocational schools in accordance with the identified professional competencies.