BU4620 Social Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation: Organisation and Management
(15 ECTS credits)
Module Content/Outline:
We are in the middle of some of the most interesting times for organising. Amidst market implosions, environmental crises, on-going transitions of government and the jostling for position amongst developed and developing economies, the organizational landscape is changing. In this course, we will examine how processes of social innovation and the actions of social entrepreneurs are contributing to these changes. We will observe the ways in which nonprofit organizations and social enterprises are drivers of societal stability and change – variously stabilizing, unsettling and transforming the organizational landscape. Major themes addressed in this course with be the emergence and development of social entrepreneurship and social innovation, the development of hybrid organizational forms and sustainability.
This module draws on theory from the disciplines of economics, sociology and history as well as on the functional business literature. It addresses issues of management and organisation in the social sector, drawing on international research and analysis, case studies and in-depth study of topical themes.
Lecturer(s):
Professor Gemma Donnelly-Cox and Professor Denise Crossan
Learning Outcomes:
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
- Grasp and engage with the key theories / frameworks / debates in the field of nonprofit management and social entrepreneurship
- Apply the key theories and frameworks to practice situations and scenarios
- Discuss the hybrid models of organisation that are emerging as boundaries between private, public and nonprofit sectors blur
- Critically evaluate relevant theory associated with social enterprises and social entrepreneurs in an Irish and international context
- Evaluate how the current theory is applied in the relevant practical context of the social entrepreneur
- Identify issues within and prepare responses to the integrative and dynamic nature of the social entrepreneur’s operations
Recommended Texts/Key Reading:
The module will draw from a diverse range of sources and as such no individual text will suffice. However, the following texts will provide a useful nucleus for the module:
Billis, David (ed) (2010). Hybrid Organizations and the Third Sector. Palgrave Macmillan
Kickull, J and Lyons, T (2012) Understanding Social Entrepreneurship: The Relentless Pursuit of Mission in an Ever Changing World, Routledge
Lectures & Tutorials/Contact hours:
One two hour lecture per week
One seminar every second week
Assessment:
Individual assignments 20%
Group assignments 20%
Dates for submission:
Michaelmas Term: Weeks 6 and 9
Hilary Term: Weeks 5 and 10
Penalties for late submission:
5% for each working day late, or part thereof.
Students unable to submit a term assignment for medical reasons must produce a medical certificate to the School of Business Studies office within three working days of the missed submission date. Certificates received after that time will not be accepted.
Examination:
3-hr examination 60%