MGT 617 - Social Entrepreneurship

(3 Credits)

Social Entrepreneurship is an emerging and rapidly changing business field that examines the practice(s) of identifying, starting and growing successful mission-driven for profit and nonprofit ventures, that is, organizations that strive to advance social change through innovative solutions. This course is designed to help students gain in-depth insights into economic and social value creation across a number of sectors/areas including poverty alleviation, energy usage, health related issues, environmental issues and sustainability. Through case studies, lectures, and class discussions, students will learn to think strategically and act opportunistically with a socially-conscious business mindset. Topics will include problem/opportunity assessment, acquiring the necessary resources to grow a social enterprise, and the tradeoffs between social and financial returns on investment. Students will also gain exposure to various social organizational models that are making tangible and potentially scalable progress.