On average, every 6 minutes China's 190 million smart phone users will log on to check in. It is a population that has grown exponentially over the last 5 years, and with the speed by which this crowd moves, it is bringing about on of the greatest disruptions in how firms interact with stakeholders. Gone are the day where firms push content through static channels (billboards, press releases,…
Last week, in partnership with HK Polytechnic, I co-organized with Poly U an event called the Opportunities Beyond Business as Usual for nearly 100 alumni and business executives. An event that came about through discussions about the future of business, and the future of social enterprises, we specifically made the decision to use the two hours to make the case that the meaning of moving be…
I'm currently working on a project to understand the decision making behavior of firms as it related to sustainability performance, and what I am finding is that the key drivers of success are the ability of leaders to understand their stakeholders, how an issue is tangible to their stakeholders, and then be able to develop strategies that effectively address issues of sustainability. Transform…
While meeting with 10 partners from one of the world's leading consulting firms, I engaged in a conversation where I spoke about how foreign firms in China would seemingly do all they could to look away from obvious risk, and then find themselves in crisis mode when things went south. JCI and Apple were my two examples. Particularly as BOTH believed (and fought for) they were within legal para…
While not an expert in business ethics, one of the most frequent discussions I have is the role of ethics as it relates to firms looking to roll out effective and engaging program, particularly in business critical areas, and the correlation between ethical foundations and program success (or failure). Far more practical in Asia, discussions of ethics is traditionally tied to a place that q…
Years back while discussing with a good friend how I was unable to work out where I stood in comparison to others, and how then what steps to take going forward, my friend old me to play my own ball. Imagine I'm golf course. Don't look around a how others are doing, or be intimidated by others, just focus on your own ball. Just hit the ball as hard as I can, get the ball into the cup, and let the…
While speaking with the investment head of a family recently, the concept of blended investing came up in the conversation. A theory put forward by Jed Emerson , blended investing is defined as: a conceptual framework for advancing a vision of value creation which is not based upon a bifurcated understanding of the nature of value (either/or), but rather a unified, holistic understanding of va…
If you are aspired to build a successful career as Social Entrepreneur, don’t miss the chance to attend the one-day intensive workshops conducted by Mr Richard Brubaker, one of one of Asia’s most prominent speakers on the issues of CSR, Sustainability, and Social Entrepreneurship. The workshop is exclusively opened for PolyU students and alumni. Content Highlights: Global trend in Social E…
Can conventional “Business as Usual” practice guarantee your business success? How can we capture the growing opportunity for doing “good business”, which means not only achieving your business objectives, but also going beyond to contribute to social missions, sustainability, and environmental preservation? Good business is about going beyond expectations, seeking out and addressing externalit…
For many CSR managers, one of the more challenging (mind numbing) aspects of transacting an international donation can be the regulatory hurdles, and for U.S. firms there are two IRS channels whereby this can be accomplished: 1. Equivalency Determination: Involves gathering a significant amount of background information and documentation from the foreign charity, and then having a US Based law fi…
Developing the business case for sustainability is growing easier by the day, and many executives are now identifying areas where their firm is exposed. It is a process that for many, even those with seemingly small operations, can be a difficult and complex one, and in our recent series of articles for Supply Chain Magazine we have identified a number of areas where firms can take immediate actio…
Over the last few years, as I have spent more time studying the impact of social enterprises and looked to understand how to maximize the impact of entrepreneurs who hold an issue of society, environment, or economy at their core, I have begun to understand that the future of social entrepreneurialism is VERY different today than what it will be in 5 years from now. At present, if you take a…
Last week, I was asked to speak at the British Chamber of Commerce about corporate volunteering in China. Specifically, how can firms develop a program that has a long-term benefit to the community. I was encouraged to see between 30-35 firms in attendance, and my counterpart, Roy Zhang from Abbott, and I spent about a hour on the process and benefits of building a program. In my presentation…
For many organizations, increasing headcount is a sign of "making it", of "scale", but as my former CEO once said to me when I asked to be made the GM of their Shanghai branch: "You really don't want the job and manage an office full of people. Stay in the field, make money, and leave the administrative headaches to George" Being the founder of a social enterprise can at times be tough, as I me…
A few weeks back, while a friend was preparing to give a presentation about her work (motivating others), she asked me a couple of questions about how I maintained my positive energy while constantly battling through barriers. It was an interesting way to frame it, positive energy, as it is something that I (and other social entrepreneurs) have spoken about as we built out our ideas. And my an…
