SDGs Thai Public Sector Innovation and Creating Shared Social Value: A Mechanism for Improving Quality of Life in Line with The SDGs

Abstract

             This academic article aims to analyze the theoretical and practical linkages between creating shared social value, public sector innovation, and improving the quality of life for citizens under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It proposes three dimensions of shared value creation: designing societally relevant products and markets, improving productivity in value chains, and developing local clusters. In particular, innovation in improving the quality of life for citizens under the SDGs is a key strategy for Thailand, linking public sector innovation to practical implementation and impacting key dimensions of quality of life, including health, education, poverty eradication, inequality reduction, and sustainable environmental management. This reflects the role of the government as a value creator for society. Past public sector innovations in Thailand include digital government services, data-driven public administration, targeted welfare systems for vulnerable groups, and multilateral collaboration mechanisms between government agencies, the private sector, and civil society. Innovations impacting citizens' quality of life include applications for accessing public services, the state welfare card for poverty reduction, digital health systems to improve healthcare efficiency, and open data platforms promoting transparency and public participation. Policies and regulations conducive to innovation, such as subsidies and tax benefits, need to be addressed. Obstacles requiring solutions include centralized and inflexible bureaucratic structures, incomplete data integration between agencies, the digital skills gap among citizens, and regulations hindering innovation. Furthermore, these guidelines for driving innovation to enhance the efficiency of modern public administration will support Thailand in achieving the SDGs sustainably and equitably in the future.