2010 usasbe an emergent model for university social entrepreneurship

An Emergent Model For University Social An Emergent Model For University Social Entrepreneurship/Social Innovation Entrepreneurship/Social Innovation

CentersCentersJanuary 16, 2010, Nashville, TNJanuary 16, 2010, Nashville, TN

Mark PomerantzMark PomerantzSeattle University, College of EducationSeattle University, College of EducationRobert S. D’IntinoRobert S. D’IntinoRowan University, Rohrer College of BusinessRowan University, Rohrer College of BusinessTina Lee Odinsky-ZecTina Lee Odinsky-ZecZagreb School of Economics and Zagreb School of Economics and Management, CroatiaManagement, CroatiaDebbi D. Brock Debbi D. Brock Anderson University, Falls School of BusinessAnderson University, Falls School of BusinessElizabeth J. GatewoodElizabeth J. GatewoodWake Forest University, W. Calloway School of Wake Forest University, W. Calloway School of Business and AccountancyBusiness and AccountancyJeffrey A. RobinsonJeffrey A. RobinsonRutgers University, Rutgers Business SchoolRutgers University, Rutgers Business School

AbstractAbstract

This workshop will discuss the This workshop will discuss the need, demand, and format for need, demand, and format for social entrepreneurship curriculum social entrepreneurship curriculum and centers, and a center model(s) and centers, and a center model(s) for colleges and universities for colleges and universities designed to specifically train designed to specifically train students to be entrepreneurial students to be entrepreneurial social change agents, social change agents, aka aka as social as social entrepreneurs, social change entrepreneurs, social change innovators, or entrepreneurial innovators, or entrepreneurial leaders. leaders.

IntroductionIntroduction

There is a convergence of There is a convergence of interdisciplinary programs focused on interdisciplinary programs focused on educating entrepreneurial and educating entrepreneurial and transformational leaders who will be transformational leaders who will be “equipped with a tool bag” of technical “equipped with a tool bag” of technical and financial skills and intercultural and financial skills and intercultural understanding. Many of these programs understanding. Many of these programs are systems and collaboration focused. are systems and collaboration focused. We ask how will they develop, come to be We ask how will they develop, come to be accepted, and be influential in academia?accepted, and be influential in academia?

Questions for DiscussionQuestions for Discussion

Five questions will be discussed Five questions will be discussed by a panel of academicians who by a panel of academicians who are involved with research and are involved with research and teaching in the social teaching in the social entrepreneurship area. entrepreneurship area.

Questions for Questions for DiscussionDiscussion

1.1. What are basic building blocks (modules) What are basic building blocks (modules) of a social entrepreneurship/social of a social entrepreneurship/social innovation center?innovation center?

• How can colleges and universities create an How can colleges and universities create an effective fusion of a broad general education effective fusion of a broad general education with social entrepreneurship, social services, with social entrepreneurship, social services, service learning, social activism and a wide service learning, social activism and a wide range of other relevant disciplines in order range of other relevant disciplines in order to effectively train students to become to effectively train students to become leaders and change agents in their leaders and change agents in their community and their society?community and their society?


2.2. What kind of commitment should What kind of commitment should universities make to educating social universities make to educating social entrepreneurs?entrepreneurs?

• What can be done to promote acceptance of What can be done to promote acceptance of this new “meta discipline” of social change this new “meta discipline” of social change studies by university administrators as well studies by university administrators as well as faculty?as faculty?

• Can colleges and universities help Can colleges and universities help themselves by attracting new students who themselves by attracting new students who desire to be educated as change agents?desire to be educated as change agents?


3.3. What kind of interdisciplinary connections What kind of interdisciplinary connections will be needed to help educate students will be needed to help educate students to be social entrepreneurs/social to be social entrepreneurs/social innovators?innovators?

• What departments across the university are What departments across the university are most open to education for social change?most open to education for social change?


4.4. What kind of connections to the civic and What kind of connections to the civic and nonprofit sectors should universities make nonprofit sectors should universities make to facilitate the education of social change to facilitate the education of social change agents?agents?

How can colleges and universities reach out How can colleges and universities reach out effectively to educate civic and nonprofit effectively to educate civic and nonprofit managers and their boards of directors?managers and their boards of directors?


5.5. How should university administrators How should university administrators facilitate those connections?facilitate those connections?

What questions should these What questions should these administrators ask of their faculty and administrators ask of their faculty and students?students?

Possible Conclusions And Possible Conclusions And ImplicationsImplications

Universities can train more active and effective Universities can train more active and effective leaders using the approach of social leaders using the approach of social entrepreneurship/social innovation, who will have entrepreneurship/social innovation, who will have greater positive impact on society.greater positive impact on society.

An interdisciplinary program connecting various An interdisciplinary program connecting various schools of the university will be the most schools of the university will be the most effective format for training students to be social effective format for training students to be social entrepreneurs.entrepreneurs.

There is a demand for social There is a demand for social entrepreneurship/social innovation education that entrepreneurship/social innovation education that will help fill empty seats in university programs.will help fill empty seats in university programs.

Existing social entrepreneurship courses and Existing social entrepreneurship courses and programs should be studied to help develop new programs should be studied to help develop new emergent models for future centersemergent models for future centers