Module Directory

This module focuses on three critical new developments relating to the social aspects of business: the emergence of social entrepreneurship as a new form of enterprise, the growth of social innovation as a legitimate form of development of new products and services for social purposes with a market orientation, and the social impact of business investment decisions.

The aims of this module are:

• To provide the necessary theoretical framework for the study of social enterpreneurship, social innovation and social impact.


• To provide the critical, theoretical underpinning for the study and investigation of the social dimensions of new forms of business organisation, innovation and the impact of investment decisions.

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Understand critically the concept of a social enterprise, social innovation and the social economy.


2. Obtain a critical appreciation of the vital role social enterprises and social innovation play in addressing societal problems, including, inter-alia, social exclusion to environmental degradation.


3. Understand critically the motivations of social entrepreneurs and investors and the social and institutional barriers to setting up social organisations.


4. Understand critically the process of social entrepreneurship and social innovation including the generation of social capital and social networking.


5. Recognise the key policy issues that will support the development of social impact investment.

Skills for Your Professional Life Skills (Transferable Skills)

By the end of this module, this module should provide students with a set of transferable skills which will be applicable in their professional life:

1. Synthesis and bring together concepts and ideas.


2. Critical thinking.


3. Evaluation of evidence.


4. Creative problem solving.


5. Recognise rival conceptual ideas.


6. Analyse academic literature.


7. Analyse different business reports.


8. Demonstrate your own initiative


9. Demonstrate motivation to succeed.


10. Express ideas for business purposes.


11. Understand how to present successfully and confidently.


12. Argumentation/Essay writing skills.

This module enables students to acquire a critical understanding of theories and practice of how the process of social entrepreneurship, social innovation and social impact embraces a range of entrepreneurial and management skills to address social issues such as exclusion, collaboration, networking, poverty alleviation, inequality and environmental concerns. It is also concerned with the use of those skills to generate new opportunities for their organisations, novel forms of managing people, resources and the wider environment, and for better ways of engaging with different groups of stakeholders

The module will provide the critical, theoretical underpinning for the study and investigation of the social dimensions of new forms of business organisation, innovation and the impact of investment decisions by answering five important questions:

1. What are the characteristics of social enterprises?


2. What and how does social innovation contribute to organisations and the wider economy?


3. How do investment decisions account for the exploration of opportunities for innovation in both social and economic settings?


4. How are social enterprises and how is social innovation managed and what skills are necessary for their advancement?


5. What are the future prospects for sensitive and high social impact investment decision makings and how can they be better supported through effective policy, better awareness of their work and effective management?

This module will be delivered via:

• Ten 3-hour lecture/seminar sessions in one week.

This module is normally taught as an intensive, one week module. The teaching and learning format is a mix of lectures, discussion, in- class exercises and group work, and presentations.

Students are required to read the appropriate reading materials for each session prior to the class, prepare for any exercises given and attend the sessions.

Students are expected to contribute to class discussions. To do well, they should actively participate in presentations and class discussions, which means making well supported, cogent comments and criticisms about the concepts and analyses that are being presented.