Social Entrepreneurship (MGMT90165)

This subject explores how business insights can be used to solve social and environmental problems. The subject focuses particularly upon the start-up, social enterprise business model, where social entrepreneurs apply innovative, market-based strategies to solve social or environmental problems. A social enterprise is a business model that understands the critical role of economic sustainability, yet has the creation of social/environmental benefits as a primary or equal goal to that of profitability. The subject first explores the background of traditional attempts to solve social and environmental problems, before then addressing the social enterprise business model and the complex relationship between profitability and social/environmental goals. It introduces students to a range of social and environmental problems and supports students’ development of innovative solutions to these problems. The subject then provides marketing and managerial guidance to develop these solutions into a successful social enterprise. Students will apply knowledge gained in the course to develop a business plan as the first step in creating a social enterprise. As well as addressing theory and practice, the subject will draw upon case studies and the practical experience of current social entrepreneurs.