Subject descriptions
Social Impact: Entrepreneurs and Social Innovation
(Core Introductory Course)
This course examines the accelerating economic relationship between government, business and the third sector to deliver social and environmental value in communities and the way in which this drives social innovation.
The course first examines the social economy through the emerging spectrum of organisational forms that generate both social and economic value: from traditional charities, to social enterprises, through to socially responsible business and traditional corporations. It looks at why the traditional boundaries between government, business and the third sector have become blurred and fluid and what that means for the capacity to deliver new forms of social impact.
Second, the course examines trends and drivers re-shaping the dynamics of social impact. It reviews the key changes that have occurred within each of the sectors: the changing role of government from direct provider to enabler; the emergence of corporate responsibility within the business sector; the emergence of social enterprises and socially responsible businesses within the third sector and the consequent implications for leadership; and the emergence of new forms of philanthropy and social investment. The course examines the ways in which these changes drive social innovation and it concludes with a review of global trends and organisations that effect social change and impact.
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Corporate Responsibility and Accountability
This course examines how business manages its social, environmental and economic impact on society. The course first reviews the historical evolution and development of the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Citizenship and why it is now a key part of managing the business enterprise.
Second, the course examines what acting responsibly means for corporations in terms of the market, community, environment, workplace and government. Issues covered include business and human rights, business-community partnerships, corporate philanthropy, the human resource management implications of CSR, business and the environment and businesses' relationship with government.
Third, the course examines how business accounts for its behaviour and impact in society through sustainability reporting and the role of external assurance and outlines debates on the appropriate role of government policy in either regulating and/or enabling responsible corporate behaviour.
Social Investment and Philanthropy
This course introduces the history, core concepts and current issues in the fields of philanthropy, fundraising and social investment. It includes: an international historical overview; social investment and social change drivers and characteristics; principles and techniques of giving and fundraising; ethical and philosophical perspectives; current forces shaping fundraising and grant-making and current developments and controversies in social investment.
Leadership for Social Impact
This subject provides students with an introduction to the challenges and opportunities of leading for the purpose of improving social outcomes.
The course covers: current challenges in achieving social benefit; new forms of organisation designed to address failure in the social economy including social entrepreneurship and social business; challenges and opportunities of leadership in a time of inflection, presenting a model of leadership that can assist in identifying adaptive challenges for leaders, suggesting ways in which they might intervene more effectively to create positive social outcomes; governance challenges and diagnosis of leadership challenges.
