Introductory description

This module is for leaders and change makers of the future, current and aspiring entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs, those who are passionate about social and/or environmental change and would like to make a difference and contribute to the public good. It is aimed at upskilling students from any discipline for developing social ventures, for example, projects, enterprises, initiatives of their own, while building a portfolio of highly sought after skills for the future. Through experiential learning, including visits to social enterprises, interdisciplinary analysis of real-world cases - UK-based and international, and a range of practical skills development workshops you will generate unique solutions to societal challenges aligning them to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Students of all subject areas are welcome; no prior knowledge or experience of entrepreneurship is required.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

This is an indicative module outline of the topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ as we hope that this module is uniquely shaped by the students taking it.

We will draw on the concepts, theories, approaches, and models associated with social innovation, social value, responsible innovation, socio-ethical values, enterprise, entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, social enterprise, social entrepreneurship, social and environmental impact, sustainable development, Triple Focus framework, systems thinking, the 4-Foci Mindset, design thinking, human-centred design, life-centred design, enterprise and entrepreneurial competencies, attributes and behaviours, entrepreneurial mindset and identity.

This module is organised as a combination of

• bite-size theoretical content introduced/taught by academics, subject specialists, and guests, including social entrepreneurs, to provide context and to have a wider representation of disciplines, experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives (released weekly; online; self-scheduled engagement)
• interdisciplinary analysis of real-world cases based on existing social enterprises in the UK and beyond to demonstrate social ventures in action in various contexts (weekly; pre-recorded if online or in-person through guest visits or field trips)
• consolidation sessions to enable co-construction of knowledge, interaction and collaboration with students from other disciplines (weekly; in-person), and
• practical skills development workshops with step-by-step guidance for development of enterprise proposals/business plans and pitches for proposed social ventures and for building a portfolio of transferable skills and enterprise competencies (weekly; in-person)

Week 1: Social innovation and sustainable development | Case 1 | Opportunity discovery

Following onboarding to help you navigate confidently through this module, we will start with introducing key concepts, theories, approaches, and models associated with social innovation. We will explore the origin and overview of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), how they are reflected in the national and regional policies and local sustainability agendas, identifying some differences between developed and emerging economies. This will set the scene for interdisciplinary analysis of the first case study featuring a social enterprise that actively works towards achieving specific SDGs. You will be supported through the process of discovering current social, economic, and environmental challenges and societal needs, while reflecting on your own personal interests and aspirations for social and environmental change.

Week 2: Responsible innovation and systems thinking | Case 2 | Stakeholder and market analysis

This week we will introduce value creation framework and explore different types of value, including socio-ethical values intrinsic to the social economy. We will explore ethical / moral principles underpinning responsible innovation and complex interactions that require systems thinking to resolve wicked problems in the current context and the challenges of uncertain and ambiguous future. In addition to the interdisciplinary analysis of the second case study featuring a social enterprise that actively works towards achieving specific SDGs, you will be supported to carry out stakeholder and market analysis that would inform your business plan. Building on previous learning and your own disciplinary insights, you will be guided through reflection on a topic that resonated with you this week.

Week 3: Person-centred design and design thinking methodology | Case 3 | Customer research

This week we will focus on design thinking as a systematic process that fosters curiosity, creativity, exploration, innovation, experimentation, and reflection for developing human-centred solutions that address unmet needs. With structured guidance, you will have an opportunity to explore and apply a range of design thinking methods in a variety of scenarios, including the area you plan to focus on in your enterprise proposal/business plan. To facilitate this, you will be supported to carry out customer research that would inform your proposal. The interdisciplinary analysis of the third case study will feature a social enterprise that actively works towards achieving specific SDGs using design-driven approaches. Further reflective writing guidance will be provided to solidify reflection as a weekly practice.

Week 4: Entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, and social entrepreneurship | Case 4 | Problem or opportunity framing

Having analysed a few social enterprises so far in the module, this week we will build a more holistic understanding of enterprise and entrepreneurship, challenging preconceived notions, cultural or disciplinary groupthink around these complex concepts. We will situate social enterprise and social entrepreneurship within broader context and explore their scope, nature, role, significance, and variability, linking to opportunities for intrapreneurship. As in the previous weeks, we will engage in interdisciplinary analysis of another case study featuring a social enterprise that actively works towards achieving specific SDGs. Additionally, you will be supported with framing and reframing problems, challenges and opportunities that would inform your business plan and pitch development.

Week 5: Future thinking and scenario planning | Case 5 | Ideation and creative problem solving

This week will link your learning to future studies and emerging trends. We will explore future environmental challenges and innovation needs that require big-picture systems thinking, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and cross-functional collaboration. During skills development workshop you will be supported to enhance your idea generation and creative problem solving skills that would inform your business plan and pitch development. This week’s learning will be contextualised by an interdisciplinary analysis of another case study of a future-oriented social enterprise that actively works towards achieving specific SDGs. In your reflection you will be guided to appraise your current confidence levels with the future-ready skills and identify opportunities to develop these further.

Week 6: Developing and enhancing social ventures | Case 6 | Concept poster and business model canvas

In the second half of the module we are moving towards more practical sessions to allow time and hands-on opportunities to develop your ideas and business plans further. This week we will focus on how different socio-economic contexts and policy environments impact business decisions, community engagement, and sustainability. To illustrate this, we will engage in comparative interdisciplinary analysis of two case studies featuring social enterprises that work in different parts of the world. Additionally, you will receive practical support and guidance on how to develop a concept poster for your proposed ideas for a social venture and work in groups on a business model canvas. Both would inform your enterprise proposal/business plan and pitch development. There would be an opportunity to receive feedback from your tutor and/or peers on one of your weekly reflections.

Week 7: Life-centred design and impact planning | Case 7 | Operations and indicators of success

For a more holistic approach to enterprise development, this week we will look into 4-Foci Mindset, inner dimensions of sustainability, sustainable value creation, and life-centred design. With the aim of creating social and environmental impact, we will explore relevant frameworks and metrics, engage in interdisciplinary analysis of a case study featuring a social enterprise that actively works towards achieving specific SDGs, explore how they measure and demonstrate their impact and value. You will be supported with developing indicators of success for your own proposed social venture and designing its operations that would inform your business plan and pitch development. There would be an opportunity to receive feedback from your tutor and/or peers on one of your weekly reflections.

Week 8: Enterprise competencies, entrepreneurial mindset and identity | Case 8 | Prototyping and communicating value

This week we will introduce the full spectrum of enterprise competencies, behaviours and attributes, and will explore what entrepreneurial means in different contexts. To contextualise the notion of entrepreneurial identity, we will engage in interdisciplinary analysis of a case study featuring a journey of a social entrepreneur. You will be encouraged to reflect on your own entrepreneurial mindset and begin mapping out enterprise and entrepreneurship competencies and associated transferable skills developed as a result of pursuing this module and through other experiences. Additionally, you will receive practical support and guidance on how to pitch and communicate ideas and value, and how to validate your ideas using prototype solutions. This will inform your pitch development and preparation for pitching your proposal for a social venture at the end of the module. There would be an opportunity to receive feedback from a mentor or Warwick Enterprise team on a section of your draft business plans.

Week 9: From founding team to an organisation | Case 9 | Financial planning and forecasting

Having analysed your own competencies, this week we will focus on team dynamics and key principles for creating the innovation culture within teams and organisations. This will be illustrated using interdisciplinary analysis of a case study featuring a social enterprise working towards achieving SDGs. From working styles and mindsets to empowerment and inclusion, we will then co-create requirements for a winning team building on your own disciplinary perspectives, module resources, insights from contributors, wider reading, and your own experiences. In your reflection you will be guided to consider your own and your team members’ strengths and skillset, effectiveness of collaboration and how individual contributions are utilised in development of your initiative. Additionally, you will receive practical support and guidance on financial planning and forecasting for your proposed social venture to inform development of your business plan. There would be an opportunity to receive feedback from a mentor or Warwick Enterprise team on a section of your draft enterprise proposals/business plans.

Week 10: You as change agents | Case 10 | Pitch rehearsal with peer feedback and mentoring from Warwick Enterprise

As we wrap up the module, in this final week we will bring together all the learning and lessons from opportunity discovery to designing a social venture as we consider the next steps. The last case study will focus on a social enterprise that developed in unexpected ways and your interdisciplinary analysis will inform your reflection on your own potential as an agent of change. This week you will be supported in your pitch rehearsal with tutor, peer, and/or mentor feedback. There would be another opportunity to receive feedback from a mentor or Warwick Enterprise team on a section of your draft business plans. Finally, you will be signposted to a range of follow up opportunities for development of your proposed ideas into full-fledged businesses.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• 1. Explore what is (and what is not) social entrepreneurship and which enterprise competencies, behaviours and attributes it requires.
• 2. Compare the types of social enterprise locally, nationally and internationally, and their alignment to the UN SDGs.
• 3. Identify the social entrepreneurship opportunities that respond to community needs and contribute to regional growth and local priorities, including specific targets in the UN SDGs.
• 4. Collaborate with peers (and/or partner organisations, including local SMEs) in order to contribute to development of a new or an existing social enterprise.
• 5. Present a convincing and well-informed case for investment/support into the proposed social venture.

Indicative reading list

Ashton, R. (2010). Brilliant checklists for entrepreneurs: Your shortcut to success (3rd edn.). Pearson Education, Ltd. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/warw/detail.action?docID=5173936

Bandinelli, C. (2020). Social entrepreneurship and neoliberalism: Making money while doing good. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Barrow, C., Barrow, P., & Brown, R. (2015). The business plan workbook: A practical guide to new venture creation and development. Kogan Page, Ltd.

Bock, A. J. & George, G. (2018). The business model book: Design, build and adapt business ideas that thrive. Pearson Education, Ltd.

Carlson, E. D. & Koch, J. L. (2018). Building a successful social venture: A guide for social entrepreneurs. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Incorporated. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/warw/detail.action?docID=5500284

Chahine, T. (2022). Social entrepreneurship: Building impact step by step (2nd edn). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003094715

Cialdini, R. B. (2021). Influence: The psychology of persuasion. Harper Business.

Daly, P. & Davy, D. (2016). Structural, linguistic and rhetorical features of the entrepreneurial pitch: Lessons from Dragons' Den. The Journal of Management Development, 35 (1), pp. 120-132. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-05-2014-0049

Dasaraju, H. & Tambunan, T. T. H. (2023). Role of micro, small and medium enterprises in achieving SDGs: Perspectives from emerging economies. Palgrave Macmillan. https://go.exlibris.link/MkjJWbl6

Halsall, J. P., Snowden, M., Clegg, P., Mswaka, W., Alderson, M., Hyams Ssekasi, D., Oberoi, R., & Winful, E. C. (2022). Social enterprise as a model for change: mapping a global cross-disciplinary framework. Entrepreneurship Education, 5, pp. 425–446. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41959-022-00084-w

Kamps, H. J. (2020). Pitch perfect: Raising capital for your startup. Apress. https://0-doi-org.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/10.1007/978-1-4842-6065-4

Kreutzer, K. (2022). On the discursive construction of social entrepreneurship in pitch situations: The intertextual reproduction of business and social discourse by presenters and their audience. Journal of Business Ethics, 179 (4), pp. 1071-1090. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-022-05161-7

Phillips, W., Lee, H., Ghobadian, A., O’Regan, N., & James, P. (2015). Social innovation and social entrepreneurship: A systematic review. Group & Organization Management, 40(3), pp. 428-461. DOI: 10.1177/1059601114560063

Portales, L. (2019). Social innovation and social entrepreneurship: Fundamentals, concepts, and tools. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13456-3

Quaye, J. N. A., Halsall, J. P., Winful, E. C., Snowden, M., Opuni, F. F., Hyams-Ssekasi, D., Afriyie, E. O., Opoku-Asante, K., Ocloo, E. C., & Fairhurst, B. (2024). Social enterprises and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A means to an end. Environment, Development and Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-05359-x

Ranabahu, N. (2020). ‘Wicked’ solutions for ‘wicked’ problems: Responsible innovations in social enterprises for sustainable development. Journal of Management and Organization, 26 (6), pp. 995–1013. https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2020.20

Sabaj, O., Cabezas, P., Varas, G., González-Vergara, C., & Pina-Stranger, A. (2020). Empirical literature on the business pitch: Classes, critiques and future trends. Journal of technology management & innovation, 15 (1), p. 55-63.

Simon-Moya, V., & Rodriguez-Garcia, M. (2021). The emergence of social entrepreneurship: Individuals and social ventures as agents of change. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80635-4

Sørensen, K. B., & Gronemann, S. T. (2024). Broadening the entrepreneurial mindset to meet sustainable goals – Introducing the 4-foci mindset. Industry & Higher Education, pp. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/09504222241295651

Won Park, Y. & Jin Park, Y. (2021). Corporate Social Responsibility and Entrepreneurship for Sustainability: Leading in the era of digital transformation. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-3460-4

Zhao, M., & Mao, J. (Eds.) (2021). Social entrepreneurship: An innovative solution to social problems. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9881-4

Research element

This module is inquiry-based and will require curiosity, general academic research skills, design and development research skills that will be introduced in practical workshops, as well as analysis and evaluation of evidence collected from primary and secondary sources.

Interdisciplinary

Existing social and environmental challenges, ‘wicked problems’, and aspirations to fulfil SDGs cannot be addressed by individual disciplines and require multi- and inter-disciplinary approaches spanning STEM and social sciences, arts, humanities, and applied sciences. A wide representation of different perspectives (disciplinary, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, departmental, professional, cultural, historical, contemporary), as well as varied experiences, backgrounds, and epistemologies in this module would reflect real-world practices of designing impactful social ventures. This would also challenge preconceived notions, as well as cultural or disciplinary groupthink, around innovation, social entrepreneurship, and social value.

International

This module would expose students to social entrepreneurship in global contexts and provide them with an opportunity to see social enterprises in action in the UK and internationally. In particular, this would be achieved through

• integration of real-world case studies based on existing enterprises in Global North and Global South
• guest lectures by social entrepreneurs from various socio-cultural backgrounds
• reading, research, and other module resources from different international contexts
• leveraging contributions and experiences of international students within the cohort taking the module
• participation in collaborative online international learning (COIL) project with students and staff from a partner institution in another country
• a prospective international field trip to a social enterprise outside of the UK.

Subject specific skills

• Holistic awareness of social entrepreneurship, sustainable development, social innovation, responsible innovation, entrepreneurial mindset and identity.
• Using a range of approaches and tools for developing social ventures (projects, enterprises, initiatives), including populating business model canvas, carrying out stakeholder analysis, market analysis, customer analysis, user research, problem framing and reframing, operations planning, impact planning, measuring outcomes, prototyping, business plan development.
• Team building, organisation set up, financial planning and forecasting, identifying funding sources, developing a case for investment, communicating value proposition.

Transferable skills

• Systems thinking, future thinking, scenario planning, human-centred design, life-centred design.
• Enterprise competencies, attributes, behaviours, including creative confidence, curiosity, open-mindedness, self-awareness and self-efficacy, motivation and perseverance, flexibility, making things happen, reflecting, reflexivity, networking, influencing, reasoning, storytelling, persuasive communication and argumentation skills, coping with ambiguity, uncertainty and risk, pivoting and adapting, managed risk taking.
• Entrepreneurship competencies, including ability to spot opportunities, creative and innovative thinking, idea generation, creative problem solving, valuing ideas, developing a vision, ethical and sustainable thinking, taking the initiative, planning and management, working with others, mobilising others, mobilising resources, financial and economic literacy, learning through experience.
• Additional Warwick core employability skills – critical thinking and analysis, synthesis skills, intercultural awareness, organisational awareness, professionalism, effective teamwork.