Social Entrepreneurship
About the class
This course is designed to introduce students to the complex dynamics underlying social entrepreneurship, of the use of business entrepreneurial skills as a means of creatively responding to societal problems. It challenges the student to look beyond well-established business objectives, the creation of wealth and investigate how wealth creation can impact public good. An investigation of global social entrepreneurial initiatives is also an important focus of the course.
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Professor David Jordan |
Download the syllabus (.pdf)
Download the syllabus (.doc)
As a final Capstone assignment for the Social Entrepreneurship course Professor Jordan asks students to conceptualize their own "social enterprise" and produce a completed Feasibility Study. Student teams can then determine if they want to scale their feasibility proposal into a full Business Plan as part of their broader I & E studies at Clark. A sample of one student-team Feasibility Plan is attached-click here to download the example.
Video Editor: Charles Proctor http://www.cpjpost.com
Recent News:
Spring 2008 - Students in the Social Entrepreneurship class have initiated a micro loan project through Kiva. SE students made loans to aid a small business in the Dominican Republic. To learn more about the microloan made by Clark SE, visit kiva.org
Dr. David Jordan’s recommended reads in social entrepreneurship
Nicholls, A.(2006). Social Entrepreneurship: New Models of Sustainable Social Change. New York: Oxford University Press.
Prahalad, C.K. (2006) The Fortune At The Bottom of the Pyramid. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Wharton School Publishing.
Dees, J.G., Emerson,J.,& Economy, P.(2002) Strategic Tools for Social Entrepreneurs. New York: Wiley & Sons.
Wei-Skillern, J., Austin, J.E., Leonard, H., & Stevenson, H. (2007). Entrepreneurship in the Social Sector. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing.
Boschee, J. (2006). Migrating from Innovation to Entrepreneurship. Minneapolis, MN: Encore Press.
Interested in social entrepreneurship? Dr. Mary-Ellen Boyle recommends you check out these organizations and resources:
www.socialedge.org
Social Edge is sponsored by the Skoll Foundation and is a global online community where social entrepreneurs and other practitioners of the social benefit sector connect to network, learn, inspire and share resources.
http://youtube.com/skollfoundation
The Skoll Foundation’s mission is to advance systemic change to benefit communities around the world by investing in, connecting and celebrating social entrepreneurs. Check out their Uncommon Heroes short films on You Tube to learn more social entrepreneurship and their foundation.
www.ashoka.org
Ashoka is a global association of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs. They provide support for social entrepreneurs through their fellowship programs, while also developing models for collaboration and design infrastructure needed to advance the field of social entrepreneurship and the citizen sector.
http://www.universitynetwork.org/
The University Network for Social Entrepreneurship works with professors and researchers, practitioners, and students to develop social entrepreneurship as a vocation and carry its principles into other disciplines and sectors. It is designed to be a resource hub and an action-oriented discussion forum to expand social entrepreneurship education and participation around the world.
http://www.origoinc.com/origonews.htm
Origo’s monthly news digest helps thought leaders everywhere stay on top of important developments at the intersection of business and social innovation. Sign up for their free e-newsletter subscription.
http://www.wri.org/
The World Resources Institute (WRI) is an environmental think tank that goes beyond research to find practical ways to protect the earth and improve people’s lives. Their mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.
www.kiva.org
Kiva allows everyday people to connect with and lend money to unique small businesses in the developing world by partnering with existing microfinance institutions.
http://www.globalgiving.com/
Global Giving is a marketplace for goodness, where people can browse ways to help others around the world, pick the ones you are most passionate about, and give to the solution. They connect people to over 450 prescreened grass roots charity projects they can choose to donate to online.