Social Entrepreneurship

Abstract

This course will introduce you to the concepts, practices, and challenges of social entrepreneurship in the U.S. and around the world. It is structured under the assumption you will be working in the private sector one day, with heavy emphasis on collaborative models and the powerful role corporate America can play in social entrepreneurship. It is meant to be an exposure course, falling more on the side of breadth than depth, to give you a broad overview of the multiple dimensions of social entrepreneurship in a short period of time.

Beyond hearing from a variety of experts, we will explore case studies and essays surrounding strategies and lessons learned by nonprofit and for-profit organizations which have launched successful social ventures. Topics will include social capital, sustainability, and the challenges and opportunities of managing a double (triple) bottom line. In addition, you will examine how to create a more socially entrepreneurial culture within organizations by allocating time, talent, and dollars to activities that have the greatest social/environmental/financial impact. Also, you will be exposed to several different successful cross-sector partnerships that combine the strengths and resources of multiple actors under one common vision. Finally, you will be given an overview of serving as a board member for a local nonprofit, including best practices for sharing entrepreneurial skills and talents.

As an opportunity to put your skills into action, you will be asked to create a social venture business plan with a team of 3-4 classmates. These plans may come from your own idea for a social enterprise, or you may choose from other options put forth by existing organizations in the South Bend area. Your comments and/or recommendations will be shared in a structured setting so entrepreneurs and classmates have a chance to respond and share their perspectives. In the case of community partners, the plans will be shared upon course completion.

Keywords: social entrepreneurship, syllabi, social enterprise