Strategic Consulting for Social Impact (BUSA90526)

Students learn how to adapt frameworks they have learned during ther MBA to be relevant and useful outside of a for-profit environment. Students learn how to develop a consulting scope of work and engage in the consulting process. Students gain experience in gathering data necessary to inform high level decision making on topics pertaining to vision, mission, values, culture, value propositions and choice of markets. They make recommendations informed by research and information they gather. Students gain confidence that their knowledge and skills acquired during the MBA can create value and practice applying that knowledge and skills. The subject helps students further develop the soft skills necessary to manage client expectations, make a case for change and sell advice that is often difficult for the client to digest. Finally, the students gain experience in presenting findings and recommendations in both verbal and written form.

The subject also assists in delivering on MBS and UoM missions relating to societal impact. The social enterprises and not for profits who this subject assists are devoted to social causes including indigenous self-determination, mental health, homelessness, regional development and more.

This course is a mandatory component of the MBA and introduces the class to a group of inspirational organizations who are at the cutting edge of developing shared value. The leaders of the social enterprises and not for profits you will meet are busy trying to solve social problems within our community, while at the same time attempting to generate cash flow to support their mission. Yet they lack the capacity and resourcing necessary to optimize their operations to achieve their social objectives.

The focus of this class is exposing students to the leadership and strategic challenges of social enterprises. The course will examine how leaders can effectively engage with and provide significant benefit to social enterprises and in doing so, help with some of the social problems that have attracted the attention of individuals who are devoted to these causes. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the strategic, stakeholder management and operational challenges that leaders of social enterprises must overcome to ensure that their organisations are able to successfully address the social problems they are focused upon.