Entrepreneurship for Social Change

Code School Level Credits Semesters
BUSI3207 Business 3 10 Autumn UK
Code
BUSI3207
School
Business
Level
3
Credits
10
Semesters
Autumn UK

Summary

The module includes lecture content to consider the background, need for, and potential of ‘entrepreneurship for social change’. This includes reviewing a) the fundamentals of the business and society relationship, b) the emergence and potential of social and environmental entrepreneurship, c) the organizational forms where entrepreneurship for social changes takes place e.g. Cooperatives, Charitable Foundations, Social Enterprises, B-Corps and d) the ecosystem that supports entrepreneurship for social change e.g. social venture capitalists, institutions, networks. Further, the module introduces a series of concepts and engages the students in using practice tools/ frameworks for entrepreneurship for social change, at times these will be anchored by the UN’s SDGs.

Target Students

Available to Part II undergraduate students OR Exchange students.

Classes

Assessment

Assessed by end of autumn semester

Educational Aims

The module aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of entrepreneurship as a social change mechanism and to review how such entrepreneurship is enacted in practice. It is designed for: exploring the theoretical perspectives used to understand the nature of entrepreneurship for social change; broadening students' appreciation of how and why entrepreneurial activity takes place; providing a critical viewpoint on how entrepreneurship for social change unfolds and the challenges therein; providing students with an opportunity to evaluate a wide range of social impact mechanisms and tools and to assess how they work in practice.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding: 
• The role of entrepreneurial activity in achieving social change. 
• The barriers to, and potential for, individuals to drive social change through entrepreneurial activity.
• The ways in which entrepreneurship for social change activity permeates a wide range of organizations, across different sectors in the UK and globally.
• The need for entrepreneurial individuals to guard against various risks when engaging in entrepreneurship for social change.
• The limitations of entrepreneurship for social change, and the potential partnership needs. 

Intellectual Skills 
• The ability to engage in critical thinking and analysis to evaluate given theories and materials 
• The ability to determine issues and consider solutions in implementing frameworks and management tools 
• The ability to determine suitable approaches to measuring and evidencing social or/and environment impacts, using existing theories and methodologies

Professional Practice Skills 
• People management and leadership to include communicating ideas effectively, teamwork, leadership and motivating others (PE forms)  
• Self-analysis and reflexivity around engaging effectively and inclusively with diverse colleagues e.g. from different disciplines, cultures, genders.   
• Evaluation of the potential for delivering social impact and successful, well-evidenced outcomes from entrepreneurial behaviour.  

Transferable Skills  
• Self-management and a readiness to accept responsibility and flexibility, to be resilient, self-starting and appropriately assertive, to plan, organise and manage time. 
• Self-reflection: self-analysis and an awareness/sensitivity to diversity in terms of people and cultures. This includes a continuing appetite for development.  
• Ability to work collaboratively, build relationships within a team and reflect on their mutual interdependence.

Conveners

View in Curriculum Catalogue
Last updated 07/01/2025.