INNO2001 Social Entrepreneurship: Doing Good While Doing Well

2017

4.5

1 x 180-minute workshop weekly

None

Core topic

Social entrepreneurship combines the energy, discipline and innovativeness of private enterprise with the inclusiveness and far-sightedness of public enterprise to solve pressing social, environmental and economic problems. Indeed, there is an incredibly important shift happening in our understanding about how to best achieve the most substantial and positive social impact. Many leading thinkers have come to the conclusion that for-profit, social impact ventures are a powerful approach to solving social problems. Conversely, a number of signals seem to indicate that when businesses are oriented around a mission or purpose this can create competitive advantage. When organisations do good this can encourage customers to want to purchase from them, employees to want to work for them, partners to want to collaborate with them, etc. Social entrepreneurship sounds wonderful - but how does it play out in reality? And what does it take to manage multiple bottom lines effectively? Through readings, vigorous discussion with classmates and guest speakers, and action research, we will explore the promise and perils of social entrepreneurship as a lever for improving the world - and use our experience with social entrepreneurship as a lens through which to understand business and strategy.

This topic aims to create innovative and enterprising students who demonstrate creativity and entrepreneurial thinking in their field of endeavour. Social entrepreneurship combines the energy, discipline and innovativeness of private enterprise with the inclusiveness and far-sightedness of public enterprise to solve pressing social, environmental and economic problems. Students will learn how to build profitable cause driven businesses, or ventures within existing private, public or other entities.

On Successful completion of this topic students should be able to:

• Introduce students to the ideas and concepts of social entrepreneurship and innovation.
• Familiarise students with the broad range of areas in which a social entrepreneurial approach is applicable.
• Identify the special challenges involved in managing multiple bottom-line firms.
• Introduce students to a variety of tools specific to social entrepreneurship.
• Support detailed research into one aspect of social entrepreneurship