In 2013, Nah Juay Hng, chairman of the parade executive committee in the People’s Association (PA), is managing Singapore’s Chingay Parade, which takes place annually during the Chinese New Year celebrations. The PA is a government agency in Singapore responsible for promoting racial harmony and social cohesion — an ideal emblematic of the parade itself. Though organised by the PA, the parade is a massive collaborative effort between stakeholders in the public and private sectors.

Nah wants to encourage greater SME involvement in the Chingay Parade. At the same time, he wants to facilitate greater CSR activity among these SMEs. But first he needs to investigate how, or even if, involvement in Chingay could even be considered a form of CSR. Based on his findings, he hopes to convince SMEs that supporting the parade is a viable CSR option that will benefit themselves and their community.

This case is ideally suited for introducing CSR and public-private partnership topics. Students will understand how public-private partnerships and CSR are both different concepts, and can yet be related. Students will be able to apply critical thinking skills to identify what is CSR and what is not CSR – this will be a challenge given widespread confusion and dissention on the meaning of CSR. In addition, this case aims to further students’ understanding of the similarities and differences between public-private partnerships, CSR and sponsorship activity.