MBA Social Entrepreneurship

About the course

The MBA Social Entrepreneurship will examine developments in this fast-growing area of study. Students will explore the motivations and aspirations of social entrepreneurs and socially entrepreneurial organizations. This will include the specific organisational and management practices necessary to operate successfully as a socially entrepreneurial organisation.

Discussion around corporate citizenship will also help develop students' understanding of the unique programs dedicated to philanthropic giving, employee engagement and corporate service.

Typical / Pathway modules

Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship
Starting and Growing a Social Enterprise
Corporate Social Entrepreneurship
International Social Entrepreneurship Project

Programme Specification

Programme Aims

The main educational aims of the programme are:
to enhance lifelong learning skills and personal development to enable students to work with self direction, originality and to contribute to business and society at large;
to enable students to undertake advanced study of organisations, their management and the changing external context in which they operate;
to develop students’ ability to apply knowledge and understanding of business and management to complex issues, both systematically and creatively, to improve business and management practices;
to enhance students’ transferable skills of research, interpretation, critical evaluation and their ability to turn theory into practice;
to develop students’ intellectual skills, including critical reasoning, analysis, creativity and reflection;
to prepare students for a career or career development in business and management by developing professional skills;
to prepare students for research or further study in the field of business and management;
to develop master's level knowledge and skills in business and management subjects to enhance students’ employability and the utility of their first discipline.
to develop master's level knowledge and skills in business and management subjects to enhance students’ employability and the utility of their first discipline.
to prepare students for social enterprise opportunities;
to develop entrepreneurial and innovative thinking, that is relevant to the social enterprise situation;
to enhance students awareness of social entrepreneurship in relation ot corporate social responsibility.

Generic Programme Outcomes

Cognitive Skills

Being able to think critically and be creative: manage the creative processes in self and others; organise thoughts, analyse, synthesise and critically appraise. This includes the capability to identify assumptions, evaluate statements in terms of evidence, detect false logic or reasoning, identify implicit values, define terms adequately and generalise appropriately.
Being able to solve complex problems and make decisions: establish criteria, using appropriate decision-making techniques including identifying, formulating and solving business problems; and the ability to create, identify and evaluate options; the ability to implement and review decisions.
The ability to conduct research into business and management issues either individually or as part of a team through research design, data collection, analysis, synthesis and reporting.
Using information and knowledge effectively: scanning and organising data, synthesising and analysing in order to abstract meaning from information and to share knowledge, gained from critical analysis of research.

Practical Skills

Effective performance within team environments and the ability to recognise and utilise individuals' contributions in group processes and to negotiate and persuade or influence others; team selection, delegation, development and management.
Leadership and performance management: selecting appropriate leadership style for different situations; setting targets, motivating, monitoring performance, coaching and mentoring.
Ability to recognise and address ethical dilemmas and corporate social responsibility issues, applying ethical and organisational values to situations and choices.

Transferable Skills

Numeracy and quantitative skills including the development and use of relevant business models.
Effective use of Communication and Information Technology.
Effective two-way communication: listening, effective oral and written communication of complex ideas and arguments, using a range of media, including the preparation of business reports.
High personal effectiveness: critical self-awareness, self-reflection and self management; time management; sensitivity to diversity in people and different situations and the ability to continue to learn through reflection on practice and experience.

Programme Outcomes

In addition to the generic skills outcomes the following section specifies the Knowledge and Understanding outcomes particular to this programme:

Knowledge and Understanding

relevant knowledge and understanding of organisations, their diversity and the external context in which they operate and how they are managed;
the processes, procedures and practices for effective leadership and management of organisations;
managing and responding to change and consideration of the future of organisations and the external contexts in which they operate;
interconnections and interrelationships between management functions, decision making and the external context;
the functions, cultures, purposes, structures and behaviour of organisations;
the external environment and its effects at local, national and international levels upon the strategy, behaviour, management and sustainability of organisations;
the management of contemporary issues relevant to both internal and external contexts;
the critical application of models, frameworks, theories and techniques to the advancement of management practices;
the concept and practice of organisational, intra-organisational and inter-organisational innovation in social enterprises;
the relationship between social enterprise and corporate social responsibility
the international context of social entrepreneurship. How social enterprise varies between cultures and political contexts;
the management of growth in entrepreneurial organisations; differences of motivation, organisation and behaviour in different social enterprise situations.