Variasi Transformasi Link and Match: Kesiapan Organisasi pada Enam SMK di Kabupaten Sorong Variations in Link and Match Transformation: Organizational Readiness at Six SMK in Sorong Regency

Abstract

Link and match transformation in vocational education can lead to changes that vary across schools, even when they follow the same intervention framework. This study aimed to analyze variations in transformation trajectories across six vocational high schools (SMK) in Sorong Regency, treating organizational readiness as a contingency condition. The study adopted a pragmatic paradigm with a mixed methods design integrated into the ADDIE framework. Quantitative data included link and match achievement before and after implementation, while qualitative data were obtained through interviews, observations, school documents, coaching worksheets, action plans, monitoring logbooks, Collaborative Inquiry records, and monitoring and reflection. The results showed that the average achievement across the six vocational high schools increased from 58.33% to 60.98%, an increase of 2.65 percentage points. However, four schools recorded increases, while two experienced declines. SMK 2 recorded the largest increase of 17.40 percentage points, while SMK 5 and SMK 6 recorded decreases of 5.27 and 6.78 percentage points, respectively. Cross-case analysis showed that variation in change could not be explained solely by initial conditions but was associated with interactions among organizational readiness, leadership capacity, initial conditions, and the maturity of industry partnerships. SMK 5 faced coordination barriers and leadership changes, while SMK 6 faced challenges in sustaining its Teaching Factory, although some alignment practices continued. These findings position organizational readiness as a contingency condition associated with schools’ ability to translate decisions into collective action and institutionalize change. Accordingly, support for link and match transformation needs to consider the organizational conditions of each school. These findings are not interpreted as experimental evidence of causal relationships.