1990年代以前臺灣的失業未超過3%，2001年臺灣經濟呈現負成長，失業率升到5%以上，至2009年國際金融風暴造成失業衝擊，失業率達5.9%。臺灣與主要亞洲國家的比較，則臺灣在1996至2000年失業率大致低於香港、韓國和日本，但2009年金融風暴之際，與亞洲國家相比，臺灣失業率相對而言，上升程度最高。因此，在全球化下，生產性福利體制也遭遇到各種的經濟障礙，而值此之際，社會企業在此社會發展趨勢之下浮現。而社會企業和福利體制在臺灣社會有何關聯？這是本研究所要探究的主題。本文以鉅視觀點，從歷史路徑和制度脈絡，試圖詮釋社會企業或社會經濟為何成為臺灣政府積極推展的主題，並運用公共政策促進其發展。此外，我們也期望進一步了解有關臺灣在福利體制的發展下，社會企業可以提供給東亞各國之意涵和啟發。

Before the 1990s, the unemployment rate in Taiwan remained below 3%. However, negative economic performance resulted in a rise in unemployment to over 5% in 2001. The unemployment rate further surged to 5.9% in 2009 due to the global financial crisis. While Taiwan's unemployment rate was lower than that of Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan between 1996 and 2000, it experienced the highest increase among other Asian countries during the financial crisis in 2009. As such, productive welfare regimes have encountered varied economic obstacles during the globalization era. Thus, social enterprises have emerged during this trend. The present study explores the following question: What is the correlation between social enterprises and welfare regime development in Taiwan? From a macro perspective, with an emphasis on historical paths and institutional contexts, this paper investigates why and how Taiwan's social enterprise or social economy has become a well-known topic while the Taiwanese government promotes corresponding public policies. Additionally, this paper explores the implication and inspiration produced by Taiwan's experience in developing welfare regimes and social enterprises that can serve as a model for other East Asian countries.