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Spring Courses

SEI 30552: Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation
(Short title: Social Entrepreneurship Innvn)
Melissa Paulsen
3 credits

Social Entrepreneurship has sparked dialogue and debate for two decades. Its very definition is much debated, as well as its capacity to create sustainable, scalable, systems-changing impact. This course explores the theoretical concepts, practices and strategies associated with the dynamic discipline of social enterprise and innovation. For our purposes, social entrepreneurship is the landscape, of which paradigm-shifting solutions like microfinance, MSME (Micro-Small-Medium Enterprise) development, bottom of the pyramid, fair trade, impact investing, and the like, are components. This course will study many of these concepts, focusing on their opportunity for social impact, and as a vehicle for wealth creation in vulnerable and disenfranchised communities across the globe. Further, the course covers examples of various social enterprise models (for-profit, non-profit, hybrid), requiring students to analyze and devise strategies to improve the efficacy of these ventures. Finally, the course engages students in research seeking to advance the field of social entrepreneurship at the Keough School of Global Affairs and Notre Dame.

SEI 40834: Marketing of Social Initiatives, Causes, and Ventures
(Short title: Mktg of Social Initiatives)
Michael Morris
3 credits

This class explores the use of marketing principles and concepts to support initiatives, causes and ventures that are social in nature. Attention is devoted to the marketing and communication challenges involved when attempting to do good, and how these issues can be overcome without spending large amounts of money. Sample topics include identifying and understanding target markets for social initiatives, constructing a value proposition, developing positioning approaches, designing communication programs, use of guerrilla techniques, the roles of price and place, and how to set goals and measure performance.

Summer Courses

SEI 34997: Entrepreneurship Field Experience
Michael Morris
2 credits

This course provides interaction with township entrepreneurs over six weeks as part of structured consulting engagements. Consulting engagements start at the same time as the class meetings. Teams of five or six students are assigned to work with two entrepreneurial businesses. Team members must develop a relationship with the entrepreneur, establish trust, learn as much as possible about the entrepreneur and his/her venture, determine priorities, select problems that can be addressed within the time of the consulting engagement, perform the necessary research and analysis on possible solutions to these problems, design detailed solutions and related action plans, and most importantly, implement the solutions. Teams are mentored by three faculty members. A final consulting report summarizes the teams' assessment of each venture and the set of deliverables produced for the clients. Students must maintain journals of their experiences.

SEI 34998: Supporting Emerging Enterprises            
Michael Morris
2 credits

This course introduces students to the South African context, poverty entrepreneurship, the basics of consulting, a process consulting approach, the SEE consulting model, a consulting toolkit, and creative yet practical approaches to addressing developmental issues in emerging small businesses.

 

Fall Courses

SEI 30552: Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation
(Short title: Social Entrepreneurship Innvn)
Melissa Paulsen
3 credits

Social Entrepreneurship has sparked dialogue and debate for two decades. Its very definition is much debated, as well as its capacity to create sustainable, scalable, systems-changing impact. This course explores the theoretical concepts, practices and strategies associated with the dynamic discipline of social enterprise and innovation. For our purposes, social entrepreneurship is the landscape, of which paradigm-shifting solutions like microfinance, MSME (Micro-Small-Medium Enterprise) development, bottom of the pyramid, fair trade, impact investing, and the like, are components. This course will study many of these concepts, focusing on their opportunity for social impact, and as a vehicle for wealth creation in vulnerable and disenfranchised communities across the globe. Further, the course covers examples of various social enterprise models (for-profit, non-profit, hybrid), requiring students to analyze and devise strategies to improve the efficacy of these ventures. Finally, the course engages students in research seeking to advance the field of social entrepreneurship at the Keough School of Global Affairs and Notre Dame.

 

SEI 30555: Human-Centered Design for Social Innovation
(Short title: Design for Social Innovation)
Melissa Paulsen
3 credits

Do you want to learn how to solve problems that matter? Human Centered Design (HCD) is an empathetic tool that utilizes guided questioning related to product, service, or systems innovations to identify opportunities for sustainable, human-centered impact. For example, how might we design a cookstove that reduces the amount of smoke inhaled by a community member? How might we design a new service engaging low-income borrowers in rural communities? How might we design a system linking social innovators and their innovations to users across the globe in a manner that encourages collaboration and sharing of resources? Whether a social innovator is designing in the private, public or nonprofit sector, HCD provides a valuable framework, deeply rooted in empathy, and is an excellent methodology for social innovators who want to problem solve and design alongside communities. In this course students will be introduced to the HCD toolkit and will apply it in practice, either in a domestic or international context. This fast-paced course will take students through the HCD cycles of inspiration, ideation and implementation, and provide opportunities for student and community collaboration.

SEI 30999: Poverty, Business, and Development
(Short Title: Poverty, Business, Developmt)                                                                                                                    Michael Morris
3 credits

This course adopts an entrepreneurial perspective in exploring the role of business in helping to address the poverty challenge in developing and developed economies. The multi-faceted nature of poverty and its implications when it comes to business and entrepreneurship are explored. Attention is devoted to venture creation as a pathway out of poverty, and to how the larger business community can be leveraged in poverty alleviation efforts. Students will examine case studies and meet low income entrepreneurs.

SEI 40999: Consulting and Development
(Short Title: Consulting and Development)                                                                                                                    Michael Morris
3 credits

Students, in a structured format, are involved in assessing, prioritizing and creatively solving problems encountered by low-income and other disadvantaged South Bend entrepreneurs. A process consulting approach is employed and a number of useful tools and frameworks are introduced. Students work with both for-profit and non-profit enterprises, producing tangible deliverables that help clients launch, grow and sustain their ventures. In addition to class time, students will meet with clients on a weekly basis at a Notre Dame facility located downtown. Assistance with transportation will be available for students needing it. Class will meet on Tuesdays. On Thursdays, students will consult with local entrepreneurs in one hour blocks during the hours of 5p to 9p at the Center for Civic Innovation. This consulting time is flexible with students' schedules and based on appointments made by local entrepreneurs.

Credit hours of both courses contribute to the: