• Analyse the social innovation and entrepreneurial process.
• Use the concepts and tools seen in the course to identify the elements that need to be considered to develop and strengthen entrepreneurial initiatives aiming at social change.
• Explain and defend a position on issues concerning the social entrepreneurial process in situations that are yet unsettled by research.
• Use the theoretical perspectives discussed in the course as a means of deciding questions involved in social entrepreneurial initiatives.

Social entrepreneurship has acquired the proportions of a world-wide movement. From micro-finance institutions to youth houses, fair trade soaps and community-based art ventures, a wide range of initiatives are focusing their efforts in addressing the big social challenges in today’s world. There is however no agreement on the definition nor on the nature of the phenomenon that is being called “social entrepreneurship.” Yet, the increase of the discussion and the variety of initiatives do all have one thing in common: a will to achieve social change. The core of this course is social change through the parallel notion of social innovation. That is, we will look at innovation and entrepreneurship as particular forms of organising for social transformation.

Some of the questions that we will explore throughout the course are: How should we think when designing initiatives aiming at social change? In what instances does a market rationality serve us better than a communitarian one in overcoming a particular social challenge? What conceptual and practical tools can be used in our strive to improve the lives of people and the health of our communities? How can the social be re-articulated in our efforts to catalyse social change?

In sum, we will be looking at rationalities, strategies and tools aiming at social change. For that purpose, we will be using the intellectual tools handed to us by the social sciences to both understand the phenomena of social innovation and entrepreneurship and apply them to the design your own social entrepreneurial ventures.

This course is venture based: It will be based on a social venture that students co-create. First because the most effective way to understand social innovation and entrepreneurship is to practice it. Second, because the course aims to promote a creative and proactive stance toward the society you live in, not merely an adaptive or critical one.

Thus, this course takes an experiential approach and students are expected to interact with the social change sector, participate in class discussion, and be active participants in the teaching/learning process. Topics will include exploring the problem you want to address, assessing the opportunity, acknowledging the implicit theory of change, considering the venture’s organisational form, funding your initiative, building your board, pitching your initiative, and start assessing social impact.

This course appeals to students with a strong desire to become social innovators, or work in a social startup, early stage or social entrepreneurial minded company that may be pursued now or later in their careers. It is also for those students who are considering obtaining jobs in consulting, social venture capital, or social foundations where they are dealing with new or relatively new social ventures.

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Bolis & West. 2017. Marginalized Return. Stanford Social Innovation Review, Fall issue.

Brest, P. 2010. The power of theories of change. Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Brown, T. & Wyatt, J. 2010. Design Thinking for Social Innovation. Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Brown, T. (2008). Design thinking. Harvard Business Review, 86(June), 84–92, 141.

Canning, D. & Reinsborough, P. 2012. Reframing. In Boyd, A. (ed.) Beautiful Trouble: A toolbox for revolution, pp.168-169 and pp.186-187OR Books.

Corbí, M. (2016). Principles of an Epistemology of Values. Cham: Springer. Chap.1 (until pg 34) & Chapter 2

Fligstein, N., & McAdam, D. (2011). Toward a General Theory of Strategic Action Fields. Sociological Theory, 29(1), 1–26. https:/​/​doi.org/​10.1111/​j.1467-9558.2010.01385.x

Garrette, B. and Karnani, A. 2010. “Challenges in Marketing Socially Useful Goods to the Poor.” California Management Review, Vol. 52 (4): 29-47

Kania J. & Kramer M. 2011. Collective Impact. Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Kirsch V, Bildner J & Waler J. 2016. Why Social Ventures Need Systems Thinking. Harvard Business Review.

Kofman, F. (2007). Metamanagement. The new business conscience. Chapter 1 How to make your professional life a work of art. Buenos Aires: Granica.

Lakoff, G. 2004. “Preface: Reframing is Social Change”. In Don't Think of an Elephant! Know Your Values and Frame the Debate, pp.xv-xvi. Chelsea Green Publishing

Mathissen, M. 2015. “A Delicate Balance for Ruby Cup: Profitability and Sustainability at the Base of the Pyramid.” GlobaLens, University of Michigan. To be bought at WDI Publishing.

Papi-Thornton, D. The impact gap canvas

Parmar, B. 2012. How to better frame problems. Darden Business Publishing

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Wedell-Wedellsborg, T. (2017). Are You Solving the Right Problems? Harvard Business Review, 1–11. https:/​/​hbr.org/​2017/​01/​are-you-solving-the-right-problems

Method instructions for social entrepreneurs (with detailed method cards):

IDEO: Human Centered Design Toolkit (free download)

For some quick tips on particular methods, you may want to consult IDEO’s method cards. See here.

Further reading

Bacq & Janssen. 2011. The multiple faces of social entrepreneurship: A review of definitional issues based on geographical and thematic criteria. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 23(5-6):373-403.

Ebrahim, A., Battilana, J. & Mair, J. 2014. The governance of social enterprises: Mission drift and accountability challenges in hybrid organizations. Research in Organizational Behavior 34: 81-100.

Kirk, M., Hickel, J. & Brewer, J. 2015. “Using Design-Thinking to Eradicate Poverty Creation.” Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Lakoff, George & Sam Ferguson. 2006. The Framing of Immigration . The Rockridge Institute .”

Prahalad, C.K. and Hammond, A. 2002. “Serving the world’s poor, profitably.” Harvard Business Review

Soule, S. 2013. “How design thinking can help social entrepreneurs.” Stanford Center for Social Innovation’s blog