Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Course Code: OL602B

Institution:

Department of Urban Studies

Revision:

2

For students admitted spring 2012  

Other set versions

Approval

The course was established 14 May 2009.
This course syllabus (version 2) was approved 26 October 2011 by the Board of Studies at Faculty of Culture and Society.
The syllabus is valid from 16 January 2012. Replacement for course syllabus ratified 10 June 2009.

Education level

Second cycle

Course description

The aim of this course is that students should develop an understanding of the field of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which is rapidly garnering attention around the world from policy makers, organizations and others. As the traditional lines blur between nonprofit enterprises, public services and business, it is critical that students understand the opportunities and challenges in this new landscape. The course provides students with an orientation in this developing landscape as well as knowledge and skills to lead organizational development in practice. The course is open to students from various backgrounds seeking to develop skills in leadership and organization within the field of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Advancement in relation to the degree requirements

This course is included in the main area Leadership and organisation at advanced level of 91-120 credits.

Entry requirements

Bachelor degree, consisting of 180 Higher education credits. English course B in Swedish secondary school.

Learning outcomes

Applying knowledge and understanding
Upon completion of this course students will:

• acquire a critical understanding of the field of social entrepreneurship and innovation and its development in a global context

Skills and abilities
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

• discuss and relate to literature, discourse and policy on social entrepreneurship and innovation
• find, evaluate and synthesize current research on social entrepreneurship related to the student’s particular area of interest.
• make informed decisions on choice of management models, strategies of communication and in handling a project or organization’s relation to its context

Judgement and approach
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

• critically reflect on the social entrepreneur as a change agent
• discuss basic values underpinning social entrepreneurship and sustainable development
• identify and assess ethical issues in balancing the interests of different stakeholders with an end toward creating sustainable development

Assessments

Forms of examination include:
Module 1: Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation in theory and practice (15 credits)

• Written report on group work (6 credits). This includes presenting the findings at a seminar. Grade: fail/pass/pass with distinction
• Individual report (9 credits). Grade: fail/pass/pass with distinction

Module 2: Thesis (15 credits)

• Thesis work (15 credits). Grade: fail/pass/with distinction

A passing grade (G) is achieved by successfully completing each component of the course. To pass with distinction (VG) on the course as a whole, a student must pass with distinction for at least 21 credits. To pass with distinction, a student must demonstrate excellent ability to independently collect and interpret data and communicate findings, ideas and solutions.



Course content

The course is divided into two modules: Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Thesis, each consisting of 15 credits.

Module 1, Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation in theory and practice, cover the following topics:

• Research and policy on Social Enterpreneurship, Social Innovation and related concepts
• Sustainable development, especially in urban and global contexts
• Leadership and organization in Social Entrepreneurial organizations and partnerships: Management, strategy and communication
• Network and support structures
• Resource based theory and social capital
• Citizenship, community and Social Entrepreneurship

Module 2, Thesis, consists of thesis work. Here students, individually or in pairs, can focus on an issue where they have a special interest within the field of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation.




Learning activities

Teaching methods include lectures, field trips, seminars and case work.

50 hours of lectures/seminars of which approximately 10 hours are mandatory, field trips/guest lectures 20 hours, thesis supervision 10 hours, group work approx. 70 hours, individual work approximately 650 hours.



Grading system

Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with Distinction (VG).


Reading list and other media

Books

• Booth, W.C., Colomb, G.G. & Williams, J.M. (2003). The craft of research. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
• Henriques, A. & Richardson, J. (ed). (2004). The triple bottom line, does it all add up? Assessing the sustainability of business and CSR. Earthscan, London.
• Light, P, L. (2008). The Search for Social Entrepreneurship. Brookings Institution Press, Washington.
• MacCallum, D., Moulaert, F., Hillier, J. & Vicari Haddock, S. (ed). (2009). Social innovation and territorial development. Ashgate, Farnham.
• Steyaert, C & Hjort, D (ed.). (2006). Entrepreneurship as Social Change. Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham.
• Yin, R.K. (2003). Case Study Research: Design and Methods; Third Edition, Applied Social Research Methods Series, Vol 5. Sage, London.

Articles:

• Austin et al. ”Social and commercial entrepreneurship: Same, different or both?”, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, January 2006.
• Cook, B, Dodds, Ch & Mitchell, W. 2003: “Social Entrepreneurship – False premises and dangerous Forebodings”. Australian Journal Of Social Issues Vol. 38 No. 1 (February 2003) p. 57-71.
• Håkansson & Sjöholm. ”Who Do You Trust? Ethnicity and Trust in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, Europe-Asia Studies, 2007, 59:6, 961 - 976.
• Lister, Ruth. ”Citizen in action: Citizenship and community development in a Northern Ireland context”, Community Dev. J.,July 1998:33, pp 226 - 235.
• Mari & Martí. ”Social entrepreneurship research: A source of explanation, prediction, and delight.” Journal of World Business, 41: 2006, pp. 36-44;
• Martin, Roger L & Osberg, Sally. ”Social entrepreneurship: the case of definition”, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Spring 2007.
• Putnam, R.: Making democracy work. 1993.(Ch. 6)
• Quibria, M.G. ”The Puzzle of Social Capital. A Critical Review”, Asian Development Review, 2003, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 19-39.
• Shaw, M., & Martin, I. 2000. “Community work, citizenship and democracy: re-making the connections.” Community Development Journal, 35:401 – 413.
• Spector, B. “Business Responsibilities in a Divided World’: The Cold War Roots of the Corporate Social Responsibility Movement”. Enterprise Soc (2008) 9 (2): 314-336.
• Steyaert, C & Katz, J. 2004. “Reclaiming the space of entrepreneurship in society: geographical, discursive and social, dimensions.” Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 16(3): 179-196.

A compendium with case studies will be made available at the beginning of the course





Course evaluation

Each module in the course will be evaluated separately upon completion. This provides periodic feedback on course development. The course as a whole will also be evaluated on completion. A summary of results will be kept in archive.