Title: Japanese public-private partnerships for promoting sustainable development : An analysis of JICA's SDGs-oriented business support in Thailand
Author: Kana Tsutsumi
Year: 2024
Keywords: Japan, ODA, Public Private Partnership, SDGs
Theme: Post Development
Advisor(s): Teewin Suputtikun
The full thesis available here.
Abstract: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognize the private sector as a crucial driver for global sustainable development. To align with the SDGs, Japan has strengthened public-private partnerships (PPPs) in its ODA. This thesis explores how the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) SDGs Business Supporting Survey promotes sustainable development for both Japan and Thailand. This survey scheme aims to encourage Japanese SMEs to test socially impactful business models. This study uses two case studies of Japanese SMEs in Thailand through document analysis and interviews to examine how PPPs facilitate technology transfer, local access, and network building. Even though there are still challenges like the difficulty of transition from proof-of-concept to sustainable business operations, limited follow-up, and administrative burdens, the findings show the importance of collaboration among the government, private sector, and academia. This study concludes that the evolution of Japan’s PPP model from traditional ODA to a co-creation model balances between national interest and the alignment of global norms under mutual interdependence relationships in the era of the SDGs