Exciting times for 'return on society'

For small organizations in China that work for charity and social development, "profit" often seems to be a dirty word. This is understandable because unlike big corporations these non-governmental organizations (NGOs) pride themselves to be working for a greater good instead of making a few shareholders and top managers rich.

Small NGOs in China are normally run by a team of people who are highly passionate about the cause they work for, be it the environment, the physically challenged or the poor.

Unfortunately, the small scale of the NGOs and the educational and professional backgrounds of its staff members often come with a lack of business skills. As a result, many of these organizations struggle to find the right ways to raise funds, organize projects and make the most effective use of their resources. Decisions are more often made on "gut feeling" than on a proper business case with an analysis of the "return of investment".