Social Entrepreneurship

Subject MGMT90165 (2016)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2016.

Credit Points: 12.5
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Semester 2, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period 25-Jul-2016 to 23-Oct-2016
Assessment Period End 18-Nov-2016
Last date to Self-Enrol 05-Aug-2016
Census Date 31-Aug-2016
Last date to Withdraw without fail 23-Sep-2016






Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 36 hours (one three-hour seminar per week)
Total Time Commitment:

Approximately 2.5 hours of personal study per hour of class time is required to achieve a satisfactory level of performance.

Prerequisites:

Completion of a minimum of 50 points of study prior to the commencement of MGMT90165 Social Entrepreneurship.

Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge:

This subject assumes an entrepreneurial mindset.

Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Coordinator

Dr Ben Neville

Contact

Email: banevi@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

This subject explores how business insights can be used to solve social and environmental problems. The subject focuses particularly upon the start-up, social enterprise business model, where social entrepreneurs apply innovative, market-based strategies to solve social or environmental problems. A social enterprise is a business model that understands the critical role of economic sustainability, yet has the creation of social/environmental benefits as a primary or equal goal to that of profitability. The subject first explores the background of traditional attempts to solve social and environmental problems, before then addressing the social enterprise business model and the complex relationship between profitability and social/environmental goals. It introduces students to a range of social and environmental problems and supports students’ development of innovative solutions to these problems. The subject then provides marketing and managerial guidance to develop these solutions into a successful social enterprise. Students will apply knowledge gained in the course to develop a business plan as the first step in creating a social enterprise. As well as addressing theory and practice, the subject will draw upon case studies and the practical experience of current social entrepreneurs.

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • Identify and analyse the variety of social and environmental problems to which social entrepreneurs may attend;
  • Critically evaluate the complex relationship between achieving social/environmental goals and profitability, including an understanding of how social entrepreneurs can successfully balance these goals;
  • Generate social entrepreneurial ideas through formalised processes of lateral thinking and problem-solving; and
  • Apply the above learnings within a formalised business plan, taking into account project planning and management, funding and finance, and measurement of social/environmental and financial performance.

Assessment:
  • Individual participation and preparation throughout the semester (10%);
  • 2000 word individual social entrepreneurship essay due in week 5 (30%);
  • Individual social entrepreneurial idea elevator pitch due in week 7(10%);
  • Group panel presentation of between 10-15 minutes in length, due in week 12 (20%);
  • 2000 word group written business plan, due on 7 November (20%); and
  • Individual peer evaluation of team contribution (10%).
Prescribed Texts:

Rory Ridley-Duff and Mike Bull (2011). Understanding Social Enterprise: Theory and Practice. Sage

Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:

On successful completion of this subject, students should have improved the following generic skills:

  • Critical thinking about societal and environmental problems;
  • Oral and written communication;
  • Innovative problem solving and collaborative learning; and
  • Synthesis of data and other information.

Related Course(s): Master of Management
Master of Management
Master of Public Administration
Master of Public Administration (Enhanced)
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: 150 Point Master of Management
150 point Master of Marketing Communications
200 point Master of Marketing Communications
EMA 150 point program - full time over 1.5 years
EMA 200 point program - full time over 1.5 years
EMA 200 point program - full time over 2 years
Education
Education and Social Change
Governance, Policy and Communication
Governance, Policy and Markets
Master of International Business electives
Tailored Specialisation
Tailored Specialisation

Download PDF version.