Reliminary Study of the Liouduei Area Hakka Industry’s Attractiveness Factors Using the Evaluation Grid Method (EGM)

The establishment of the Council for Hakka Affairs under Executive Yuan in 2001 brought a new hope for the development and advancement of the Hakka community in Taiwan. The Hakka consciousness was on the rise in various areas of the country and the nation's cultural and creative industry was also growing. Drawing from the community’s rich experience and deep cultural sentiment, a unique Hakka industry combining Hakka spirit and ideology with the traditional industry was formed. The added cultural value of a product attracts consumers and a quality product is an attractive object that appeals to consumers. Therefore, the Liouduei area Hakka industry, with its rich cultural background, is also an attractive industry. The Hakka industry attracts visitors to the Liouduei area, contributes to local economy, adds to the output value, and further preserves and promotes the unique Hakka culture in the South. However, what are the attractiveness factors of the Liouduei area Hakka industry in the South? In this study, the Evaluation Grid method of the Miryoku Engineering was used to interview a total of 12 promoters, proprietors, and consumers who are highly involved with the Liouduei area Hakka Industry. These interviews identified four original attractiveness factors including: “Local Characteristics,” “Diverse and Varied Products,” “Unique Southern Hakka Culture,” and “Sense of Tradition and Nostalgia,” as well as 15 concrete attractiveness factors, and 14 abstract attractiveness factors. The attractiveness factors extracted from this study can be used by the Liouduei area Hakka Industry businesses for future reference.