1.Social enterprise project seminar (2014)

The Labor Affairs Bureau of the Tainan City Government has developed new vocational models for people with disabilities. They invite corporations that employ people with disabilities to share their experiences on how to create new opportunities for them. Through cooperation and participation, corporations can transform the perception of people with disabilities as potential employees, widen the employment pool for those corporations, elevated their image and business models, and, most importantly, improve the lives of the physically challenged.

Inspired by this initiative, we have organized a seminar analyzing organizations that are turning themselves into social enterprises. We looked at their innovative management methodologies and their attempts to re-invent industrial norms. The seminar encouraged organizations to see and use the strength of people with disabilities, and to create fulfilling job possibilities for them.

2.Research into application and execution of Social Impact Bonds in Taiwan- for youth employment and care services (2014)

The Social Impact Bond, SIB, is a governmental social investment methodology. It is a means of raising private capital with which NPOs are contracted to tackle social issues. The government evaluates the effectiveness of the NPOs in dealing with the issues, pays them if expected targets are achieved, and offers incentives for investors. No payments will be made if expected targets are not met. The Workforce Development Agency of the Taiwanese Ministry of Labor entrusted our Center with research projects into the use of SIBs for two current major social issues in Taiwan, youth employment and care services for the elderly.

3. Data collecting, organizing, and analyzing social enterprise-related information in Taiwan’s southern region (2015)

From 2014 to 2015, the Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety, and Health of the Ministry of Labor established an action research for social enterprises in southern Taiwan. The Institute entrusted our Center with data collecting, collaboration, and analysis for the benefit of social enterprises in the region. With the help of cross-disciplinary teams we analyzed how social enterprises were run here. The teams shared their experiences with corporations and helped social entrepreneurs understand and overcome challenges to starting up successful social enterprises. Thus boosting the confidence of entrepreneurs and increasing their numbers, we helped create industrial values, enhance labor involvements, and solve social and environmental issues.

4. Research into evaluation models used by start-up social enterprises (2015)

In 2015, the Workforce Development Agency of the Ministry of Labor gave our Center the task to research resources start-ups can use to self-evaluate their operational conditions. Organizations understand their current operational conditions (such as sales and marketing, finance, technology, and innovation), their performance (such as production yields and social impacts), strengths and weaknesses, demands and risks and their social entrepreneurship qualities through self-evaluation tools or evaluations by professionals. This also goes for social enterprises. The purpose of the research project was to construct evaluation models that would help domestic organizations transform into social enterprises. These models included operational quality examination, quantitative and qualitative deep interview questionnaires, measurement sheets, and strategic suggestions for start-ups.

5. Promoting continuous and sustainable corporate social responsibility (2015)

In 2015, through the Industry-University cooperation project of out Center, we helped the ASE Cultural and Educational Foundation understand the industrial specializations and resources of Kaohsiung (such as the upstream to downstream resources in supply chains and corporation volunteers). We also clarified social and local relations in Kaohsiung for them, and analyzed international and domestic developments in industrial sustainability.

The ASE Foundation intends to promote a future of continuously executed social responsibility, and our Center helped in formulating possibilities for this. The ultimate goal is to set up constructions for this in communities, to elevate social involvement, and to help solve important local issues through the investment of corporation resources. In this way, continuous social development and improved living conditions for the people of Kaohsiung can be created.