Chapter Fourteen: Social Entrepreneurship

Still an emerging concept in China, social entrepreneurship may be defined as private business ventures primarily aiming at solving some of societies' most pressing issues; or — otherwise said — business ventures organized around a social or collective purpose rather than the search for profit. Although “social enterprise” (SE) came out as a specific concept as late as the 1970s, pioneering endeavors could be found in Europe at a much earlier date (Florence Nightingale and the first nurse schools in the UK). The movement has since become a global trend, which is now reaching China. SEs can be developed through the effort and investment of private entrepreneurs, through support from private sector financing (Danone social fund, Grameen Bank) or, in a few cases, through governmental support.