Theoretical Implications

Abstract

The forms of PPPs may change and evolve over time, but the purpose of social innovations in seeking a good way of life and the intention to serve the common good beyond private interests can last long. Then, in Chapter 7, the rice industry case in the post-WTO global competition environment presents how small-scale rice farming and production might find a new form of agricultural collaboration, and later extends its uniqueness by building up a common geographic trademark for a rice brand owned by the local public, and eventually spillover the spirit of social innovations into other local values beyond rice production. This case demonstrates that several PPP forms and partnerships can be adopted from time to time, but always aligning with the purpose of the concurrent goal of common achievements, given the small or big scope of “common” achievements. On the other hand, in the last case in Chapter 8, a rural community case presents the common initiatives to start in an alternative direction, by taking advantage of the PPP with the public-sector program and generating more values beyond it. Eventually, the common good of a sustainable agricultural sixth industrial revolution can achieve a pure good dream of the rural hometown with its own sustainable businesses, regardless of the future availability of the public-sector resources. All the five cases provide demonstrations of how private and public interests can be linked in the short run or can be coevolved over the long run.