Sustainable Enterprise and Social Entrepreneurship

Catalog description

The pervasiveness of business claims about being “green” and increased societal expectations for businesses to be “responsible” have brought sustainability into the mainstream. Companies desiring competitive advantage and leadership have embraced sustainability as an integral component of their strategy. At the same time, recognizing the capabilities of business, “social entrepreneurs” are moving to address problems previously assumed to be the responsibility of governments. Available to graduate and undergraduate students, this course will examine what it means to be “sustainable” and what strategies corporations employ in support of their sustainability mission. (Students taking the course for graduate credit are typically required to complete additional work beyond the requirements for undergraduate credit.) Additionally, the course will explore corporations’ efforts to expand their markets to include the “base of the pyramid” as well as examples of social entrepreneurship ventures which aim to promote social welfare. P: Junior standing, or IC.