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The Caring Crocodile: Jack Ma’s Philanthropy in China

In: Sustainable Development and CSR in China

Author

Listed:
  • Benjamin E. Jakob

    (Strategic Consulting)

  • Christopher Stehr

    (German Graduate School of Management and Law GGS)

Abstract

The economic growth of China in the last decades has turned the country from a former underdog into one of the biggest economies in the world. While the years of growth allowed for enormous wealth to be generated, with China today having hundreds of billionaires among international wealth rankings, the hidden cost for this success slowly starts to unveil in the form of tremendous socioeconomic problems and ecological devastation. China has reached the point where the annual economic growth can no longer compensate for the costs resulting from bleeding their environment white. This article analyses the state of situation in China and the possible difference and impact philanthropy could make. Philanthropy is gaining a first toehold in China and while still facing myriad obstacles, some entrepreneurs are taking a stand. We outline the status of philanthropy in China and take the Alibaba founder Jack Ma as a leading example of outstanding philanthropy in China. To understand his engagement, we sketch the growth of his entrepreneurial firm from a humble beginning to the biggest IPO in history and subsequently analyze his philanthropic engagement as well as his motivation to do so. We aim to discuss the possibility of strategic but authentic philanthropy, led by authentic and intrinsically driven key figures such as Jack Ma, to help the Chinese patient to recover from the damages done before an eventual point of no return.

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin E. Jakob & Christopher Stehr, 2015. "The Caring Crocodile: Jack Ma’s Philanthropy in China," CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance, in: René Schmidpeter & Hualiang Lu & Christopher Stehr & Haifeng Huang (ed.), Sustainable Development and CSR in China, edition 127, pages 119-133, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:csrchp:978-3-319-17371-9_9
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-17371-9_9
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