Instructor Resource
Neck, Entrepreneurship, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Case Notes
Chapter 5: Recognizing New Opportunities
Jack Ma, Founder & Chairman, Alibaba Group
Summary
Jack Ma grew up in Hangzhou, about 100 miles from Shanghai in Mainland China. Early
sacrifices—indicative of his strong work ethic and visionary entrepreneurial spirit—empowered
Ma to learn English before relocating to the United States. While living in Seattle in the mid-
1990s, Ma discovered the Internet. He readily recognized the limitless opportunities this new
Analysis
Jack Ma was unusually gifted at recognizing entrepreneurial opportunity. Like many other
entrepreneurs, Ma undoubtedly started out with a lot of different ideas (perhaps dozens,
hundreds, or even thousands of them) about how he might achieve success as an entrepreneur.
Sample Answers to Case Questions
1. Describe how Ma’s desire to influence and contribute to Chinese social and economic
culture aided his rise as a global entrepreneur. Now identify some entrepreneurial
opportunities for making a meaningful contribution to your own nation or culture.
Sample answer: Jack Ma obviously admired the United States and the many
2. Entrepreneurs tend to see the opportunity in every difficulty. Riding his bike—rain or
shine—for 40 minutes a day for years took unusual dedication and personal drive. What
difficulties do you currently face—or would you be willing to face—to take advantage of
entrepreneurial opportunities?
3. What is something you could learn (e.g. a foreign language), or a skill you could acquire
(e.g. trade, process, function), that would empower you to create additional
entrepreneurial opportunities for yourself in the future?