全球化的發展趨勢帶予人們的衝擊無遠弗屆。當少數人群得以累積財富過著優渥生活的同時，另一線端陷入貧困處境的人口群，更廣大於經濟處境轉佳者。居於促進社會公平正義的立場，聯合國與國際社會福利協會(ICSW)多年來透過社會發展訴求，希望可以連結跨國力量，一方面以富國助貧國的北－南(North-South)關係，協助開發中國家與地區走出貧窮之境，一方面藉由促進各國的地方經濟與社會發展力量，得以抗衡全球金融風暴的在地衝擊。 台灣地區退出聯合國之後，得以在國際間進行社會發展對話的平台是身為ICSW的會員國，透過出席定期的全球及區域會議，而維繫作為地球村的成員，關心處境更艱難的國度，也在面對全球化衝擊的同時，需要力求地方發展來對應困境，也以未雨綢繆之姿，籌劃未來生活的自足之道。具體作為即是透過社區總體營造的多元努力，特別是有關個人公民學習而產出群體的社區組織力量，以及包括產業生計的創造歷程，運用地方資產建構自足的群體生活機制。 然而，本地透過社區經濟與產業的發展過程，還在成長階段，或是個人認同社區的意識不足，或是產業內涵的未臻成熟，或是產品行銷的策略未發威，或是社區生產自主理念模糊，我們還處於不穩定的狀態。社會發展理念提醒我們城鄉交流中協助鄉村地區的發展，就業機會的增加幫助窮人度過難關，社會網絡的建構以增足群體因應困境的能量。

Social Development is a global trend that is confronting the impact of globalization which is deepening the level of poverty, social inequality, and the unemployment rate of the population. The main themes of social development are social inclusion, social justice, and human right to work on global issues. The 1995 Copenhagen world summit on social development came out with the consensus by hundreds of nations to work hand in hand for social justice and poverty eradication. At times of global economic crisis, we need to think globally and act locally. The community enterprise is the key for us to maintain the survival of the whole community. In the past twenty years, the NGOs and community organizations in Taiwan have done a lot to revitalize traditional culture, to promote agricultural production, to sustain the ecosystem locally, and to create unique cultural products. In a word, local people need to work hard to upgrade the job opportunities by community groups. However, people need to do more in autonomous ways of comprehensive planning, production and sales, and local group dynamics, and in developmental terms of inclusion, job opportunities, and social networking.