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Unit outline_

IBUS6016: Social Entrepreneurship

Semester 2, 2020 [Normal evening] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Social entrepreneurs are committed to furthering a social mission through enterprises that rank social, environmental or cultural impact on a par with, or even above, profit. Intersecting the business and not-for-profit worlds, social entrepreneurship addresses many complex local and global problems. This unit critically introduces the concept and develops frameworks for understanding social entrepreneurship (also referred to as social enterprise and social innovation). Teaching and learning utilises case studies and includes the opportunity to apply theory to real-world experiences. Topics include creating innovative social enterprises, sustainable business models, philanthropy and funding, impact assessment, and leadership. The unit is structured around learning from engaged practice and provides the opportunity to work with social enterprises.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Strategy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

IBUS5002, or completion of at least 24 credit points

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Jarrod Vassallo, jarrod.vassallo@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s) Jared Harrison, jared.harrison@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Individual report
Written report
25% Week 06 2500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5
Presentation group assignment Practice and final pitch
Video presentation
25% Week 11 2 x 10 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment group assignment Final report
Written report
25% Week 12 3500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Assignment Reflective piece
Written report
15% Week 12 2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO6
Participation Workshop engagement and participation
Participation
10% Weekly Ongoing
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • Individual report: This first individual report requires your focus on a specialist functional area of expertise that you want to develop and apply into your group project (e.g., best-practice marketing strategies of Australian social enterprises, bootstrapping for social enterprise start-ups, etc.). This functional learning should include academic and practitioner literature, apply that literature to the context of social enterprise, and describe the relevance of that literature to your group project. In addition, we also encourage you to conduct and report on your own primary research initiatives.
  • Practice and final pitch: The assignment will comprise of creating and recording a video ‘pitch’ presentation in which you showcase your business plan (or investor memorandum), including the strategic vision, strategy, operational details, and funding plan that will attract the resources needed for launching and growing the enterprise.
  • Final report: The final report documentation will be the business plan (or investor memorandum), including the strategic vision, strategy and funding plan that will attract the resources needed for launching and growing your social enterprise. The document should provide sufficient operational detail to show how the product or service can be brought to market, and be supported with a financial spreadsheet forecasting the financial implications of the business strategy.
  • Reflective piece: The reflective report should include aspects of experience, your reflection, your learning, and your applications of your learning. Where possible you should include a reflection on action as well as reflection IN action (i.e., document your experiences while you are engaged with your social enterprise). Documenting could include photographs, audio recordings, notes and other media.
  • Workshop engagement and participation: You are expected to prepare readings prior to class; engage with guests, lectures, and fellow students; initiate discussion and work for your projects; and foster a community of learning and practice. You will be assessed throughout the semester based on active participation and quality of interaction as opposed to volume. To pass this assessment task you are expected to attend more than 80% of classes, have prepared all readings each week, and coherently participate in discussions.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction; Why social entrepreneurship? Distinctions between social entrepreneurship/social innovation/social enterprise Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 02 Action research workshop Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 03 Social enterprise business models and kick-off calls Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 04 Social enterprise strategy (Indigenous workshop) Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 05 Action research week (no class, students to conduct own research) Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 06 Social enterprise funding and financing Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 07 Social impact - understanding and measuring it Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 08 Project sponsor meetings (students to pitch their ideas and receive feedback) Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 09 Social enterprise marketing - gaining traction Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 10 'Pitch Doctor' session Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 11 'Report Doctor' session Lecture (3 hr)  
Week 12 Social entrepreneurship - reflections and critique Lecture (3 hr)  

Attendance and class requirements

Lecture recordings: All lectures and seminars are recorded and will be available on Canvas for student use. Please note the Business School does not own the system and cannot guarantee that the system will operate or that every class will be recorded. Students should ensure they attend and participate in all classes.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. identify and evaluate social entrepreneurship opportunities
  • LO2. develop strategy for a social enterprise
  • LO3. prepare and present documentation to secure stakeholder support
  • LO4. prepare and present documentation to secure stakeholder support
  • LO5. conduct and analyse primary research in the field of social entrepreneurship
  • LO6. reflect critically on social entrepreneurship theory and practice.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.