Edited by Dr KK Tse

C.H. Kee and co-author Cheng Man Wah have written a book which is likely to become a standard reference for anyone who is interested in promoting and practicing social entrepreneurship in Hong Kong. The book is in Chinese and the title reveals a lot about the purpose and vision of the authors:

營商能耐可以改變社會:一部寫在金融海嘯當下還敢為社會更美好想像的社企營運手冊

I venture to translate the title and sub-title in full in order for the non-Chinese readers to have a feel for the intent of the authors:

How Business Endurance Can Change the World: A Social Enterprise Operation Manual
– written in the midst of financial tsunami and with the courage to imagine a better world

Kee is an exemplary social entrepreneur in Hong Kong. He was a former senior executive at Hewlett Packard, having been in charge of HP’s China operation and served as the head of HP’s pioneering Business School. He had been with HP for 23 years and then retired early and is now devoting all his time and expertise to the cause of social entrepreneurship. Kee is now the Chairman of the Board of Fullness Social Enterprise Ltd. He is also a founding director of the Hong Kong Social Entrepreneurship Forum.

This well researched and well written book provides an overview of the nature and purpose of social enterprise and outlines the current landscape of social entrepreneurship in Hong Kong. The main body of the book, however, is a how-to guide for creating and supporting the operation of a social enterprise. If you are running a social enterprise or contemplating providing support to one in your spare time, this book will challenge you to think strategically about your work and help you focus on areas that could make the greatest impact.