ILROB 4245

Managing and Leading Social Innovation

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2017-2018 Catalog.

As the challenges of poverty, income inequality, environmental degradation, and global health continue to mount, there is a growing need for innovative approaches to seemingly intractable social problems. As organizations and their leaders develop new solutions, the boundaries between the for-profit and non-profit sectors have become increasingly blurred. Corporations engage in corporate social responsibility and social intrapreneurship, while traditional non-profits incorporate business practices in an effort to more efficiently and effectively pursue their social missions. In between, there are growing numbers of hybrid social enterprises whose core purpose is to address social issues through commercial ventures. This course explores these varied for-profit, non-profit, and hybrid models for managing and leading social innovation. We will examine the unique challenges and opportunities of each approach and the leadership skills needed to effectively address them. Through readings, class discussion, guest speakers, interactive exercises, and a final project with a community partner, students will master theoretical frameworks and gain practical knowledge and experience that will equip them to manage and lead social innovation in new and existing organizations across a variety of contexts.

When Offered Fall.

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