Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship

2026/2027

Учебный год

ENG

Обучение ведется на английском языке

6

Кредиты

Кто читает:

Департамент социологии

Статус:

Курс обязательный

Когда читается:

1-й курс, 1, 2 модуль

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This introductory course examines social entrepreneurship as an entrepreneurial and organizational response to persistent social and environmental problems. It develops a critical understanding of social entrepreneurship, social enterprise, social innovation, social value, hybridity, and social impact, and distinguishes these concepts from conventional entrepreneurship, philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, nonprofit activity, activism, and public-sector intervention. The course follows a human-centered and dignity-oriented approach. Students analyze affected persons and communities as agents and stakeholders rather than passive beneficiaries. They assess the institutional and legal context of social entrepreneurship in Russia and selected international settings; examine social business models, funding strategies, ecosystems, governance, and scaling; and learn the foundations of the Theory of Change and social impact measurement. Particular attention is paid to risks such as paternalism, exclusion, mission drift, impact washing, data misuse, and the instrumentalization of vulnerable groups.

Learning Objectives

• Establish a precise conceptual foundation for analyzing social entrepreneurship, social enterprise, social innovation, and social impact.
• Develop the ability to distinguish social entrepreneurship from adjacent organizational, commercial, civic, and public-policy practices.
• Introduce evidence-based and human-centered methods for identifying social problems, stakeholder needs, and entrepreneurial opportunities.
• Develop the ability to analyze hybrid business models, revenue and resource configurations, governance arrangements, and institutional environments.
• Introduce basic tools for constructing a Theory of Change and selecting proportionate output, outcome, and impact indicators.
• Cultivate ethically responsible judgment grounded in human dignity, participation, transparency, sustainability, and accountability.
• Prepare students for subsequent projects, innovation, impact measurement, consulting, internship, and thesis work in the master’s program.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Define and critically compare the principal concepts and schools of thought in social entrepreneurship and social innovation.
• Distinguish social enterprises from conventional businesses, nonprofit organizations, charitable initiatives, CSR programs, public projects, and informal civic initiatives using explicit criteria.
• Communicate an evidence-based diagnosis and transparently document sources, collaboration, and generative AI use.
• Frame a social or environmental problem using credible evidence, stakeholder perspectives, and a dignity-centered understanding of affected persons and communities.
• Analyze institutional, legal, cultural, and ecosystem conditions that enable or constrain social entrepreneurship in Russia and selected international contexts.
• Evaluate the coherence of mission, value proposition, business model, stakeholder configuration, governance, and risk.
• Construct an introductory Theory of Change and propose measurable output and outcome indicators while recognizing limitations.
• Identify ethical, legal, sustainability, and mission-drift risks and propose mitigation measures.

Course Contents

• Theme 1. The Field of Social Entrepreneurship: Concepts and Boundaries
• Theme 2. Historical Development and Major Schools of Thought
• Theme 3. Social Problems, Human Needs, and Dignity-Centered Problem Framing
• Theme 4. Institutional and Legal Contexts: Russia and Comparative Models
• Theme 5. Social Innovation, Value Creation, and Entrepreneurial Opportunity Recognition
• Theme 6. The Social Entrepreneur, Leadership, Ethics, and Positionality
• Theme 7. Stakeholders, Ecosystems, and Human-Centered Social Innovation
• Theme 8. Social Business Models, Organizational Forms, and Funding
• Theme 9. Theory of Change and the Foundations of Social Impact Measurement
• Theme 10. Scaling, Systems Change, and Integrative Social-Enterprise Diagnosis

Assessment Elements

• Seminar Analytical Artifacts (AE-1)
  Across ten seminars, students complete short individual or small-group artifacts such as a concept classification, problem tree, source-quality assessment, country comparison, value map, positionality reflection, business-model critique, stakeholder map, indicator redesign, or ethical risk register. The best eight artifacts are averaged. Most artifacts are completed during class and require concise, evidence-based reasoning.
• Individual Social-Enterprise Case Brief (AE-2)
  Each student analyzes a real social enterprise approved by the instructor. The brief must use a unique case or analytical angle and contain 1,500–1,800 words, a source-and-evidence table, and working links. At least one organization-generated source and one independent source are required; for Russian cases, official legal or registry information must be used where applicable.
• Team Ecosystem Map and Analytical Presentation (AE-3)
  Teams of three to five students map the ecosystem surrounding one social problem or field in a defined city, region, or country. Deliverables include a visual map, a source log, a 10-minute presentation, responses to questions, and an individual contribution statement. Facts and relationships shown on the map must be traceable to sources.
• Final Individual Social-Enterprise Diagnostic Dossier (AE-4)
  The final dossier integrates the course. Each student selects or is assigned a real social enterprise, social venture, or well-defined venture concept. The report contains 3,000–3,500 words plus a visual model, evidence table, reference list, and AI-use appendix. The instructor may request a 5–7 minute oral verification of authorship and reasoning.

Interim Assessment

• 2026/2027 2nd module
  0.25 * Individual Social-Enterprise Case Brief (AE-2) + 0.35 * Final Individual Social-Enterprise Diagnostic Dossier (AE-4) + 0.15 * Seminar Analytical Artifacts (AE-1) + 0.25 * Team Ecosystem Map and Analytical Presentation (AE-3)

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• David Bornstein, & Susan Davis. (2010). Social Entrepreneurship : What Everyone Needs to Know®. Oxford University Press.
• Обучение служением и социальная миссия университета. Внедрение практики и работа с социальными па... : метод. руководство для преподавателей, Гаете Сепульведа, М. А., 2025

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Bridging horizons. Exploring social entrepreneurship in Malaysia and Russia, , 2025

Authors

• Gaete Sepulveda Magdalena Alekhandra