Philanthropy is like ‘farming’
The idea that philanthropy should be more like business is prominent and problematic. Today’s image of philanthropy highlights one of the inherent tension between the two areas. As Güler Sabanci, one of the leading business women in Turkey highlights in her analogy:
“Philanthropy is like farming, whereas business is like hunting. You have a target, you go out, plan, wait, study and shoot. And you achieve a goal. But in philanthropy, as with farming, you need seeds, you have to work on the soil, you depend on the climate, there are things you cannot change. But you adapt to the climate. You have to have the right seeds for that soil. And you have to be patient. And even then not all of them will come up perfect. But next year you will do better. It is a continuous improvement, a continuous effort.”
Hindle, T (2012) Philanthropy Turkish Style, 21st April, Korn Ferry Institute https://www.kornferry.com/institute/63-philanthropy-turkish-style
Drawing on some of the findings from our ‘Images of Philanthropy’ Initiative, each entry in this accompanying blog series introduces one image that has been put forward in an academic or non-academic context to depict or characterise an aspect of philanthropy in its different forms and expressions.
For further information about the ‘Images of Philanthropy’ Initiative, please contact Dr Tobias Jung.