Social and sustainable entrepreneurship
A.A. 2020/2021
Obiettivi formativi
Whether it is ample access to sustainable energy, equitable stewardship of Earth's ecosystems to counter climate change, food security or poverty eradication, entrepreneurship is taking a leading role in the search for sustainable solutions to the most pressing, wicked problems of society. At the intersection of business, government and nonprofits, social and sustainable entrepreneurs are increasingly visible and having an impact on local and global scales.
Building on the most recent advancements in entrepreneurship and innovation for sustainability, the course will provide students with the opportunity to learn how to apply business knowledge and skills to address complex social and environmental problems.
Students will first address the complexity of sustainability, as well as how related challenges are altering the social and competitive arena for companies and organizations, creating new threats and market opportunities. The focus will then move on knowledge and tools to sustain social and sustainable opportunity identification and exploitation. Social and sustainable business planning will be addressed along the stages of entrepreneurial discovery, with a focus on hybrid business models and supportive ecosystems. Moreover, recent advancements in the field of innovation for social change will be reviewed, with a focus on bottom of the pyramid strategies, scaling opportunities, and cross-sector social partnerships.
Building on the most recent advancements in entrepreneurship and innovation for sustainability, the course will provide students with the opportunity to learn how to apply business knowledge and skills to address complex social and environmental problems.
Students will first address the complexity of sustainability, as well as how related challenges are altering the social and competitive arena for companies and organizations, creating new threats and market opportunities. The focus will then move on knowledge and tools to sustain social and sustainable opportunity identification and exploitation. Social and sustainable business planning will be addressed along the stages of entrepreneurial discovery, with a focus on hybrid business models and supportive ecosystems. Moreover, recent advancements in the field of innovation for social change will be reviewed, with a focus on bottom of the pyramid strategies, scaling opportunities, and cross-sector social partnerships.
Risultati apprendimento attesi
Participants in this course will lean what role management students can play at the initiation of social and sustainable change. They will know how to set the boundaries of social and sustainable entrepreneurship and understand the steps through which a typical process for social change unfolds. In so doing, participants will learn a vocabulary for thinking and communication about social and sustainable values. Additionally, students will apply knowledge and understanding to the identification, exploitation and scalability of social and sustainable opportunities.
Periodo: Secondo trimestre
Modalità di valutazione: Esame
Giudizio di valutazione: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Corso singolo
Questo insegnamento non può essere seguito come corso singolo. Puoi trovare gli insegnamenti disponibili consultando il catalogo corsi singoli.
Programma e organizzazione didattica
Edizione unica
Responsabile
Periodo
Secondo trimestre
In the event that the health situation makes it necessary, the course will be held according to the following approach:
Teaching methods
The lectures will be held on the Microsoft Teams platform and will be streamed synchronously based on the timetable of the second term. All the lectures will be also recorded and made available on Ariel together with additional materials (audio lessons or guided exercises).
Cases and teamwork will be maintained and discussed remotely. If allowed, practical activities will be held in class. In-class participation will remain voluntary.
Syllabus and Materials
The contents and materials will not be changed. In the remote case of changes, they will be promptly notified on Ariel website.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final exam will be an oral test through the Microsoft Teams/Zoom platform or, if allowed regulation, in person as a written exam. Depending on the number of enrolled students, the exam could be written using exam.net.
In any case, the exam, will evaluate:
_the achievement of the course objectives, in terms of knowledge and comprehension;
_the ability to apply knowledge and understanding through practical exercises and group assignments (for attending students);
_the student's autonomy of judgement, through the analysis of small practical cases;
-the acquisition of specialized language, as well as the ability to present clearly presents topics and related arguments.
Teaching methods
The lectures will be held on the Microsoft Teams platform and will be streamed synchronously based on the timetable of the second term. All the lectures will be also recorded and made available on Ariel together with additional materials (audio lessons or guided exercises).
Cases and teamwork will be maintained and discussed remotely. If allowed, practical activities will be held in class. In-class participation will remain voluntary.
Syllabus and Materials
The contents and materials will not be changed. In the remote case of changes, they will be promptly notified on Ariel website.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final exam will be an oral test through the Microsoft Teams/Zoom platform or, if allowed regulation, in person as a written exam. Depending on the number of enrolled students, the exam could be written using exam.net.
In any case, the exam, will evaluate:
_the achievement of the course objectives, in terms of knowledge and comprehension;
_the ability to apply knowledge and understanding through practical exercises and group assignments (for attending students);
_the student's autonomy of judgement, through the analysis of small practical cases;
-the acquisition of specialized language, as well as the ability to present clearly presents topics and related arguments.
Programma
The course consists in the following topics:
1. Introduction to social and sustainable entrepreneurship: Starting from presenting current theories and approaches, the first part aims at creating a common language among participants related to entrepreneurial projects with a strong focus on social change and sustainability objectives. Sustainability challenges are reviewed with a focus on their impact on companies and organizations. The relationship between social and business entrepreneurship is presented, together with a focus on the changing dynamics in the non-profit sector. New legal forms and organizations are presented with an international focus.
2. Planning dynamics and tools: The second part focuses on a process-based view of social and sustainable entrepreneurship, starting with opportunity identification and ending-up with opportunity exploitation into a running organizational form. The role of planning in supporting idea refinement for social change and sustainability is presented, with specific regards to the development of a theory of change and a related business model. The specificities of social business plans will be also introduced, with reference to a social start-up.
3. Social impact assessment and maximization: The need for measuring social value creation and sustainability is introduced, both as a forecast before launching a social venture to attract potential resource providers and as an approach to formalize internal mechanisms aimed at making people responsible for the correct use of resources. Attention will be focus on social return on investment analysis. The economic quantification of the social value created will also represent the precondition to maximize mission attainment by informing decisions regarding scaling options.
4. Financial innovations for impact: Innovation in funding strategies for social and sustainable entrepreneurial ventures will be covered. Impact investing and social venture capital will be explored, comparing and contrasting alternative models.
1. Introduction to social and sustainable entrepreneurship: Starting from presenting current theories and approaches, the first part aims at creating a common language among participants related to entrepreneurial projects with a strong focus on social change and sustainability objectives. Sustainability challenges are reviewed with a focus on their impact on companies and organizations. The relationship between social and business entrepreneurship is presented, together with a focus on the changing dynamics in the non-profit sector. New legal forms and organizations are presented with an international focus.
2. Planning dynamics and tools: The second part focuses on a process-based view of social and sustainable entrepreneurship, starting with opportunity identification and ending-up with opportunity exploitation into a running organizational form. The role of planning in supporting idea refinement for social change and sustainability is presented, with specific regards to the development of a theory of change and a related business model. The specificities of social business plans will be also introduced, with reference to a social start-up.
3. Social impact assessment and maximization: The need for measuring social value creation and sustainability is introduced, both as a forecast before launching a social venture to attract potential resource providers and as an approach to formalize internal mechanisms aimed at making people responsible for the correct use of resources. Attention will be focus on social return on investment analysis. The economic quantification of the social value created will also represent the precondition to maximize mission attainment by informing decisions regarding scaling options.
4. Financial innovations for impact: Innovation in funding strategies for social and sustainable entrepreneurial ventures will be covered. Impact investing and social venture capital will be explored, comparing and contrasting alternative models.
Prerequisiti
To feel comfortable in this course, students should have general background in management, performance management and control systems, organization and business planning.
For MIE students, first year courses are propaedeutic to second year courses.
For MIE students, first year courses are propaedeutic to second year courses.
Metodi didattici
The course is based on active teaching methodologies aimed at maximizing students' participation. In addition to face-to-face lectures, attending students will be involved in the discussion of case studies and incidents obtained using real-life examples. Guest speaker's talks will be organized, as well as group projects, role playing and simulations.
Materiale di riferimento
Attending students
A collection of readings and instructor materials will be made available to attending students on Ariel.
Non-attending students
Handbook (HB): Beugré, Constant. Social entrepreneurship: Managing the creation of social value. Routledge, 2016 (all chapters)
Additional readings (only for non attending students):
R1: Nidumolu, R., Prahalad, C.K. & Rangaswami M.R., (2009), "Why Sustainability Is Now the Key Driver of Innovation", Harvard Business Review, September, 56-64
Management, 47/3: 368-384.
R2: European Commission. 2014. "A map of social enterprises and their eco-systems in Europe, Executive Summary", DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion.
R3: Santos, F., Pache, A., & Birkholz, C., 2015. "Making hybrids work: Aligning business models and organizational design for social enterprises", California Management Review, 57/3: 36-58.
A collection of readings and instructor materials will be made available to attending students on Ariel.
Non-attending students
Handbook (HB): Beugré, Constant. Social entrepreneurship: Managing the creation of social value. Routledge, 2016 (all chapters)
Additional readings (only for non attending students):
R1: Nidumolu, R., Prahalad, C.K. & Rangaswami M.R., (2009), "Why Sustainability Is Now the Key Driver of Innovation", Harvard Business Review, September, 56-64
Management, 47/3: 368-384.
R2: European Commission. 2014. "A map of social enterprises and their eco-systems in Europe, Executive Summary", DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion.
R3: Santos, F., Pache, A., & Birkholz, C., 2015. "Making hybrids work: Aligning business models and organizational design for social enterprises", California Management Review, 57/3: 36-58.
Modalità di verifica dell’apprendimento e criteri di valutazione
Attending students
The final grade will consist of the following components:
End-of-term exam: 50%
Group assignment: 50%
In-class assignments: 0-2 bonus points.
The end-of-term exam tests the knowledge obtained by attending classes and studying materials. It will consist of a mix of multiple-choice questions and short-essay questions (e.g. concept questions or cases analysis).
The group assignment will consist of the development of a business plan for a social start-up dealing with a specific social or environmental problem. Details will be provided in class.
In-class assignments will be developed in groups and based on cases and short exercises.
Non-attending students
Written exam to test knowledge obtained studying required chapters of the textbook + readings. As for attending students, the exam will consist of open-ended and multiple-choice questions.
The final grade will consist of the following components:
End-of-term exam: 50%
Group assignment: 50%
In-class assignments: 0-2 bonus points.
The end-of-term exam tests the knowledge obtained by attending classes and studying materials. It will consist of a mix of multiple-choice questions and short-essay questions (e.g. concept questions or cases analysis).
The group assignment will consist of the development of a business plan for a social start-up dealing with a specific social or environmental problem. Details will be provided in class.
In-class assignments will be developed in groups and based on cases and short exercises.
Non-attending students
Written exam to test knowledge obtained studying required chapters of the textbook + readings. As for attending students, the exam will consist of open-ended and multiple-choice questions.
Docente/i
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