The worlds of successful entrepreneurship and effective philanthropy are inexorably linked. The more entrepreneurs achieve, the more they are able to give to others.

Exactly how and why successful entrepreneurs become involved in philanthropy is examined in the new “Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurs’ Engagement in Philanthropy,” funded by the Kauffman Foundation.

The compilation of essays by 31 academics and experts, which is available in print and as an ebook, provides an understanding of the crosscultural intersection between for-profit entrepreneurism and nonprofit generosity.

The book is a collaborative effort of three researchers who were inspired by Ewing Marion Kauffman, founder of the Kauffman Foundation, which encourages economic autonomy through educational and entrepreneurial success.

Robert Strom, research director at the Kauffman Foundation, said in a release:

“Mr. Kauffman’s evolution from an entrepreneur who focused on creating jobs to a philanthropist with a profound desire to benefit his community represents an important phenomenon that warrants more study. There is little systematic investigation into entrepreneurs and their philanthropic engagements, so we wanted this volume to shed light on the underlying dynamics of the topic.”

Strom co-edited the book with Marilyn L. Taylor, the Arvin Gottlieb/Missouri chair in strategic management at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management; and David O. Renz, the Beth K. Smith/Missouri chair in nonprofit leadership at the Bloch School and the director of the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership.

The “Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurs’ Engagement in Philanthropy” recognizes entrepreneur-philanthropists as unique, because they have created their wealth through the growth of their own ventures.

Chapter topics include:

•     Women entrepreneur-philanthropists
•     Black entrepreneur-philanthropists
•     Multi-generational entrepreneur-philanthropists
•     High-tech entrepreneur-philanthropists
•     Case study of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation
•     Global entrepreneur-philanthropists in Europe, China, Africa and the United States
•     Case studies of two entrepreneurs who transitioned to philanthropy: Ewing Marion Kauffman and Mario Morino

For more information about the Kauffman Foundation, visit kauffman.org.