APS holds Social Entrepreneurship Series to promote BSocSc(SEDS) programme

Seminar 1

9 December - Social Entrepreneurship: Its Nature, Challenges, Misunderstandings, and Ways Forward

Abstract

Social entrepreneurship has gained popularity as a practice and line of inquiry over the past two decades. However, given its complexity, multifaceted nature and relative newness, social entrepreneurship is often misunderstood, its potential either underestimated or overestimated.

In this talk, I will first delineate the nature of social entrepreneurship, and then illustrate some of its common misunderstandings as well as offer a boundary that helps to describe what it is. I will then explore the inherent challenges faced by the practice of social entrepreneurship and offer some potential suggestions and remedies to better position the practice of social entrepreneurship.

In doing so, I propose two ideas. First, we can better understand and appreciate social entrepreneurship as a ‘method’ – just like the method of arts and the sciences – to tackle problems in new and better ways. Second, we can view social entrepreneurship as a prototypical form of a more feminine style of capitalism while being aware of the hype surrounding it. I thus propose a deeper integration of social entrepreneurship and the fast-growing practices of other impact-driven initiatives such as ESG, as a more promising form of sustainable capitalism.

Speaker

Dr Yanto Chandra,
Associate Professor, Department of Applied Social Sciences
Founding Director of the Centre for Social Policy and Social Entrepreneurship
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Dr Yanto Chandra is Associate Professor with the Department of Applied Social Sciences at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Founding Director of the Centre for Social Policy and Social Entrepreneurship (CSPSE). His research focuses on understanding and explaining the drivers, processes and outcomes of social, sustainable, and faith-based entrepreneurship and investing.

Seminar 2

10 December – Social innovation and corporate management

Abstract

With the rise of “social enterprises” in recent years, a brand new business model has emerged. However, what exactly is a “social enterprise”? Why do companies need to be socially responsible? How does one link a business with social responsibility? Top universities around the world are offering courses related to the concept of a social enterprise. Are these courses only targeting people who have plans to start their own businesses? In this lecture, two heavyweights in the social enterprise industry will answer the above questions with their many years of practical experience in the field.

Speaker

Mr Francis Ngai, Founder and CEO of Social Ventures Hong Kong (SVhk)

Mr Swadiq Khan, Founder of Chrisly Café

Mr Francis Ngai is the Founder and CEO of Social Ventures Hong Kong (SVhk). He is also Co-founder of Green Monday, Hong Kong Streetathon and SONOVA; and Founder of Playtao, HATCH, Bottless and WE+.

Before founding SVhk, Mr Ngai was the head strategist for a listed technology conglomerate in Hong Kong. He was selected as one of the “100 Pioneers in Asia” by The Purpose Economy magazine, and was awarded Honorary Fellow by The City University of Hong Kong and The Education University of Hong Kong. In 2012, he was named a young global leader by the World Economic Forum, and was selected as one of the ten awardees of the Outstanding Youth Commendation Scheme in 2011.

Mr Swadiq Khan is the Founder of Chrisly Café. He is also the CEO of Modic Entertainment (HK) Company Limited and Begin Entertainment Limited.

Mr Khan participates in various charity activities. He is currently a member of the Fundraising and Promotion Committee of the Agency for Volunteer Service (AVS) and a consultant for the Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Association of Hong Kong (TSC). Since 2016, Mr Khan’s Chrisly Café has been a strategic partner of The Hong Kong Society for Asylum-seekers and Refugees, providing those in need with materials and personnel support.

Seminar 3

13 December - Five Golden Buzzers of Social Entrepreneurship

Abstract

The “Golden Buzzer” is a way to award the top act, and allow him or her to skip the judging panel.

The qualities of a top act are similar to the qualities of a social enterprise. Before you start planning or writing a proposal for your own social enterprise, it is important to understand these qualities, which are made of five elements: ASSESS, CALCULATE, CREATE, MARKET and SELL. Please join us to discover these five golden elements, and hit such “Golden Buzzers” together.

Speaker

Mr Howard Ling Ho-wan, MH
Chief Consultant of HKCSS Social Enterprise Business Centre
Convenor of Artificial Intelligence & Social Intelligence Alliance

Mr Howard Ling is the Chief Consultant of HKCSS Social Enterprise Business Centre (SEBC), and the Convenor of Artificial Intelligence and Social Intelligence Alliance (AISIA). Howard began his social entrepreneurial journey in 2004. He founded and provided consultations for over 50 social enterprises in Hong Kong and Macau. He also serves as a consultant or advisor to many foundations, philanthropists and education institutions. He was awarded the Medal of Honour (MH) by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), and the Hong Kong Humanity Award in 2017 for his dedicated public and community services – with a particular highlight on his contributions to the development of social enterprises.

Seminar 4

28 December - Issue Fields and Scaling of Social Innovation

Abstract

In this seminar, Dr Wang will discuss the relationship between issue fields and the scaling of social innovation. Issue fields, as Hoffman (1999, p.351) put it, “forms around a central issue – such as the protection of the natural environment – rather than a central technology or market...” Dr Wang will share the findings of an analysis of 268 business proposals submitted to the Good Seed incubation programme in Hong Kong. Five issue fields were identified in the social entrepreneurial ecosystem in Hong Kong. The analysis takes a look at the varied scaling status of these 268 social innovations. Interviews were also conducted with founders to collect critical incidents during the process of scaling, revealing unique factors that affect the scaling of social enterprises including business modeling for blended value, low-income markets and contested issue fields. The implications of the study for ecosystem building will be discussed.

Speaker

Dr Norah Wang
Research Fellow, Centre for Civil Society and Governance,
The University of Hong Kong

Dr Norah Wang’s research is focused on governance and social innovation, particularly institutions that enable community actions such as urban commons, as well as third-sector and social entrepreneurial ecosystem development. Dr Wang has had interdisciplinary training in Psychology, Social Work, and Public Administration. In collaboration with the Hong Kong council of Social Service, she led several third-sector capacity building programmes when she was the senior project manager of the HKU-HKJC ExCEL3 Project, including the development of a CEO competency model, NGO capacity building framework, and talent demand analysis for nonprofit boards. Before re-joining the University of Hong Kong, she was a research assistant professor at the Department of Applied Social Services, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Now she is a research fellow at the Centre for Civil Society and Governance, the University of Hong Kong. Norah also founded Impact Analytics, a social enterprise, in 2020 to provide direct support for NGOs and social enterprises on impact management.

Seminar 5

30 December - Exploring a Sustainable Social Enterprise in HK - Do's and Don'ts

Abstract

Want to affect change in Hong Kong’s society?
Thought of starting a social enterprise? Why a social enterprise, but not an NGO?
What five questions do I have to answer before starting my social business?
How can I start a sustainable social enterprise?
Should a social enterprise be profit-making?
What I should be doing, and what pitfalls do I need to avoid?

Speaker

Mr Timothy Ma, MH, JP, RSW, FCRP

Founding Executive Director, Senior Citizen Home Safety Association (SCHSA)

Chief Consultant, Ma Kam Wah & Co

Timothy K. W. Ma is the Founding Executive Director of the Senior Citizen Home Safety Association. He is also the co-founding member of the Hong Kong Social Entrepreneurship Forum with Dr. KK Tse. He is currently the Council member of the Hong Kong Chamber of Social Enterprises. He also serves as Visiting Lecturer in the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong on Becoming a Change Maker, Fundraising and Resource Development, and City University of Hong Kong on Strategic Leadership.

He was awarded Outstanding Social Entrepreneurship of East Asia on 2009 by the SCHWAB Foundation and was a contributing author to the book, `Bottom of Pyramid’, for new social enterprises, and ‘Leadership in Social Enterprise’ by the World Economic Forum. He also serves as a member of the Expert Network at the Global Agenda Council of World Economic Forum. From July 2012 to September 2017, he also served as Executive Director of Project Flame: Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the City University of Hong Kong.

Timothy has served as Non-executive Director of the Urban Renewal Authority, member of the Elderly Commission, Lottery Fund Advisory Committee, and board member of the Social Workers Registration Board as well as the Guardianship Board. Currently he is a member of the Supervisory Board of Hong Kong Housing Society, and member of the Elderly Housing Special Committee of the Society. He is also a co-opted member of the Task Force on Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund. He has also served as training consultant and advisor for Non-Profit Institute (Shanghai) and Social Enterprise Info (Taiwan). He is also a member of the Steering Panel of the Land Sharing Pilot Scheme by the Hong Kong SAR Government, and board member of the Urban Renewal Fund.

Besides serving as a board member for a number of NGOs, he also offers consultancy services to NGOs on leadership, strategic planning, fundraising and risk management. He is also a popular mentor to many young start-ups and social entrepreneurs who wish to create change in society at Cyberport and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks.