• Analyze social entrepreneurial processes, in particular in relation to environmental and social sustainability.
• 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 shops and community-based art collectives, a wide range of initiatives are focusing their efforts on 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, this variety of initiatives seem to have one thing in common: the willingness to achieve social change. The core of this course is social change through the parallel notion of social innovation. In other words, we will critically look at innovation and entrepreneurship as particular forms of organising for social transformations.

Some of the questions that we will explore throughout the course are:

How should we think when designing initiatives aiming at social change? 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? How can we assess the effectiveness of these initiatives?

In sum, in this course we will be looking at rationalities, strategies and tools aiming at fostering environmental and social sustainability. 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 of social entrepreneurial ventures.

This course is venture based: It will be centered 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.

Since the notion of "social change" is quite general, each year the course develops around a specific societal challenge. This year´s chosen challenge is the need to combine environmental sustainability with social sustainability. In fact, sustainability is often understood as the need to preserve natural ecosystems and reduce our impact on the environment. This, however, is only one part of the story: sustainability is a multidimensional concept and it entails the need to develop socio-economic practices that are just and fair in respect not only towards the environment, but also towards the human communities involved and affected by these socio-economic practices.

This course appeals to students with a strong desire to become social innovators, work in a social startup, or in a social entrepreneurial minded company now or later in their careers. It is also for those students who are considering obtaining jobs in international institutions, sustainability management, social venture capital, starting a cooperative or a non-profit organization/association. 

Finally, 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, pitching your initiative, and start assessing the impact created.

Below, some of the suggested readings (the complete reading list will be uploaded on Canvas before the course begins):

Avelino, F., Monticelli, L. and Wittmayer, J.M. 2019. How transformative innovation movements contribute to transitions. In: Howaldt, J., Kaletka, C., Schroder, A. and Zirngiebl, M. (eds.)Atlas of Social Innovation: 2nd Volume – A World of new Practices. Munich: oekom Verlag GmbH.

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

Brown, T. 2008. Design Thinking. Harvard Business Review.

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

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.

Garud, R., Schildt, H.A. and Lant, T.K. 2014. Entrepreneurial storytelling, future expectations and the paradox of legitimacy. Organization Science, 25(5), 1479-1492.

IDEO: Human Centered Design Toolkit - Method instructions for social entrepreneurs (with detailed method cards). Available via: https:/​/​www.designkit.org/​resources/​1/​.

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

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

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

Papi, D. 2017. Reclaiming Social Entrepreneurship. TED Talk. [video] Available via: https:/​/​youtu.be/​RdrfMqBRfEQ.

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

Pentland, A. 2012. The new science of building great teams. Harvard Business Review, 90(4), 60-69.

Snow, D.A. et al, 1986. Frame Alignment Processes, Micromobilization, and Movements Participation. American Sociological Review, 51(4):464-481.

Sparviero, S. 2019. The Case for a Socially Oriented Business Model Canvas: The Social Enterprise Model Canvas. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 10(2), 232-251.

Staszewska, B.M. 2017. Business Model Development for Stability, Sustainability, and Resilience. In: West, L.L. and Worthington, A. Handbook of Research on Emerging Business Models and Managerial Strategies in the Nonprofit Sector. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

Thornton, P.H. and Ocasio, W. 2008. Institutional Logics. In: Greenwood, R., Oliver, C., Lawrence, T.B. and Meyer, R.E. (eds.) The SAGE Handbook of Organziational Institutionalism. Sage Publications Ltd.

Toegel, G. & Barsoux, J.L. 2016 How to pre-empt team conflict. Harvard Business Review, 79-83.