The name Dragonpreneur was coined by Phil McMaster, an adventurer and professor who has traveled the globe in search of solutions to poverty, ignorance, fear and war. In China, he noticed that for thousands of years the symbolism of the dragon has been used as a metaphor for power and responsibility in the face of change. Through the Dragonpreneurship program, he has combined the idea of dragon spirit with entrepreneurship to face the emergent environmental crises afflicting the world. Dragonpreneur “Sustainable” Entrepreneurship Training was developed to teach a new generation of entrepreneurs – people who want to start an enterprise and make money — but also be a benefit to Society and the Environment. More and more people, are promising to use 3 finger “DragonTHINK” sustainability salute in the global campaign to SEE the CHANGE and combat global warming by thinking about BALANCE & HARMONY. The three fingers mean we SEE the need to care for our Society, Environment and Economy. The history of the Sustainability Symbol started with teaching Social Enterprise and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to MBA students in Hong Kong. Philip McMaster, known to his students as Professor P, (some suggest it’s “Professor Planet”) was constantly illustrating successful, long-lived business models based on attention to the “Triple Bottom Line” – not just Economic responsibilities, but also responsibility for Society and the Environment.
Certified ‘Dragonpreneurs’ brandishing the Three Finger Sustainability Salute!
Teaching the principles of entrepreneurship to management students at major universities in Canada and China, McMaster realized that the “modern” education systems in the world suppressed creativity, innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit, resulting in superficially-trained individuals lacking the strength of character, confidence and skill to lead themselves, let alone lead others. Therefore, he developed a unique system of learning based on experiential training, including classroom introduction, puzzles, ceremonies and useful exercises. Dragonpreneurs achieve their skills by completing tasks and milestone projects corresponding to the five talons of the Golden Dragon: 1) Understanding financial, environmental, and responsibility, 2) Encouraging innovative perceptions, 3) Mastering holistic leadership, 4) Becoming a voice for those who cannot speak, and 5) Understanding the principles of abundance and unlimited wealth creation for all! These talons confer white, green, red, yellow and black belts as the dragonpreneur progresses through the program. The McMaster Institute for Sustainable Development in Commerce facilitates the Dragonpreneur program which supports the non-profit efforts of the Institute. The mission of the McMaster Institute is to research and develop ways to enhance public and corporate social responsibility, and to provide training, networking and certification services to individuals, corporations and governments to balance the Social, Environmental and Economic needs of the Planet Earth and its human inhabitants!
Ricky Fan, President of the Hong Kong EPA and Legislative Councillor Choy So Yuk join Philip McMaster and the Sustainable Chinese New Year Pig as he “releases” the the SEE three FINGERS symbol to the world February 1st 2007.
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