The Operation of Goodwill Food Bank in Taichung City- from the Collaborative Innovation Perspective

• Main Authors: Tsai-Ying Ma, 馬彩瑛
• Other Authors: Ching-Heng Pan
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/12728976351624869287

碩士 === 國立中興大學 === 國家政策與公共事務研究所 === 103 === Food banks have been established around the world during these years. The earliest concept was to collected foods to be thrown away which can still be eaten and give them to those in need. In Taiwan, not only nongovernmental organizations have been aggressive in establishing food banks, the public sector has also been devoted to promote this mechanism. And the trend of the public sector having been actively involved in promoting food banks is quite significant. This study focused on the reasons why the public sector has been so active in promoting food banks and how food banks promoted by the public sector work. The Goodwill Food Bank in Taichung City was initiated by the Taichung City Government. It provides the service of food support by cooperating with nongovernmental groups of different characteristics. The purpose is to help disadvantaged social groups to provide them foods for meals. Thus, this study attempted to explore the implementation experiences of the Goodwill Food Bank in Taichung City from the perspective of cooperative innovation, in hopes of learning more about the status of the operation of the Goodwill Food Bank in Taichung City, and to discuss the factors considered by the City Government regarding the operation model for food support, whether the cooperation between the public sector and the private sector is helpful for public innovation, and several related meta-governance issues. This study first reviewed the theories and literature related to food banks, public sector innovation, public and private cooperation, and coordinative and cooperative social services. Then, this study collected the data of field experiences through the in-depth interviews with several key persons participating in the operation of the Goodwill Food Bank in Taichung City, and analyzed these data based on the analysis structure of cooperative innovation and the diffusion of innovation theory. According to the research findings, in the process of promoting the Goodwill Food Bank in Taichung City, the public sector has supported the bank’s operation through projects, creating institutional conditions which are beneficial for cooperation and interaction between the public sector and the private sector, so that the functions of the food bank can be well performed. The case of this bank is a good case of the success in cooperative innovation and a good example for learning. However, in the practical operation process, there are still some meta-governance issues which require further research to make proper responding measures, for the purpose of sustaining the positive development of the operation of the food bank.