By Willie Cheng

Doing Good Well

As its name suggests, Doing Good Well urges its readers not to simply do good but also to do good well by offering a fresh perspective on how the social sector can capitalise business and management principles without compromising the social mission. Willie Cheng applies more than two decades of management consultancy experience to the social sector where he is actively involved in Singapore.

In chapter 15, Social Entrepreneurship: Innovating Social Change, he talks about new social models of social entrepreneurship, illustrating with many examples of international social entrepreneurs as well as a case study of local social entrepreneur, Jack Sim of World Toilet Organisation. He also raised the interesting question of whether one would have more impact in the social sector as a social entrepreneur or a business entrepreneur who simply chooses to donate with the example of philanthropist Warren Buffet who chose to give his gains in businesses through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation instead of working in the social sector himself.

In another chapter, Social Enterprise, he provides theoretical frameworks and analyses of social enterprises. He compared two case studies, and highlighted the pitfalls and challenges of social enterprises. He also cautions readers against having the highly mistaken idea of a social enterprise as a charity doing business.

Willie Cheng provides much food for thought with his paradoxes powerfully put across as pertinent questions, such as “Why does a deserving charity struggle to make ends meet while another which squanders money, live?”, “Is the continuous growth the hallmark of a successful charity?, and “Would you use volunteers if it actually cost more than hiring paid skilled staff?”. All which he then gave unconventional answers as well as the reasons for them. For example, Cheng argues against the traditional idea of success – that of sustainability and/or growth – and that a successful non-profit should ultimately become extinct.

He also made bold, provocative statements such as his chapter, Planned Giving: Raising Money from the Dead”, after which he provided statistics and good reasons to why Asian donors should follow their Western counterparts in giving in the form of bequests after death.

Doing Good Well fills the gap for much needed literature of the social sector in Asia, especially in Singapore. The book illustrates its theoretical concepts with a good mix of both local and international context and examples as well as Willie’s personal anecdotes. A chapter is devoted to each of 20 related topics, allowing readers to delve right into topics they are especially interested in while having a good overview of the social sector in Singapore. The 20 chapters are further categorised into five sections – Sector & Goverance, Nonprofit management, Giving, Social Innovation and Doing Good Well? – for a more coherent understanding.

Do good as you buy this book – All royalties from the sale of ‘Doing Good Well’ will go to charity.

About the author:

Willie Cheng was a partner of global management consulting firm, Accenture, for more than 20 years. Since his retirement in 2003, he has been actively involved in the social sector. He served as Chairman of Singapore’s National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre where he helped launched its bi-monthly magazine, SALT, and where he is still a regular contributor. He is now the chairman of the Lien Center for Social Innovation and Caritas Singapore.

Contacts/For more information:
Visit www.doinggoodwell.net

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