Leping Foundation: Introducing Venture Philanthropy to China

• Price, Lydia J. 
• Zhao, Liman 

Abstract

The　case　explores　the　challenges　and　opportunities　of　practicing　venture　philanthropy　in　an　emerging　market.　Jaff　Shen,　a　serial　social　entrepreneur　and　Founder/General　Secretary　of　Leping　Social　Entrepreneur　Foundation　(＂Leping＂)　brought　the　international　venture　philanthropy　network　Social　Venture　Partners　(＂SVP＂)　to　China　in　2012　to　help　build　China’s　overall　civil　society　and　proclivity　for　social　entrepreneurship.　SVP＇s　Beijing　branch　was　launched　as　a　non-profit　in　2013　and　attracted　thirty　partners　who　invested　in　four　education-related　social　enterprises　within　the　first　two　years　of　operation.　SVP　Shanghai　followed　in　2016,　registering　as　a　for-profit　company　for　greater　flexibility　in　the　context　of　China’s　strong　non-profit　regulations.　Given　some　freedom　to　develop　its　own　path,　SVP　Shanghai　evolved　more　slowly　than　Beijing,　enrolling　11　partners　within　the　first　year　without　making　any　investments.　Students　are　asked　to　explain　the　reasons　for　Shanghai＇s　slow　growth,　and　then　critically　evaluate　a　strategy　suggested　to　Shen　for　accelerating　the　progress.　They　must　take　a　stand　in　Shen＇s　internal　debate　about　whether　to　push　a　fast　top-down　strategy　or　tolerate　a　slower-paced　bottom-up　trajectory.　Students　also　have　the　opportunity　to　compare　four　different　SPO　investment　opportunities　shortlisted　by　SVP　Shanghai＇s　partners　for　their　initial　investment,　and　to　propose　an　evaluative　framework　for　screening　the　potential　targets　and　subsequently　monitoring　the　investment　outcomes.

Keyword

• China
• social entrepeneurship
• Social Innovation
• venture philanthropy

Related Article

• A causality analysis of the FDI‐wages‐productivity nexus in China

  2010，Journal of Chinese Economic and Foreign Trade Studies

• What drives regional differences in the stock market wealth effect in China?

  2012，Applied Economics Letters

• Culture Clash in the Boardroom (HBR CASE STUDY)

  2011，Harvard Business Review

• Why and when organizational culture fosters affective commitment among knowledge workers: the mediating role of perceived psychological contract fulfilment and moderating role of organizational tenure

  2018，International Journal of Human Resource Management