BSD130 Social Enterprises


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Unit Outline: College 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Unit code:BSD130
Credit points:12
Equivalent:BSB130
Coordinators:Judy Beausang | judy.beausang@qut.edu.au
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

Real world social and environmental issues are increasingly addressed through business means in an emerging form of hybrid organisation – the social enterprise. Traditionally, the government and charity sectors sought to meet community needs, however resource constraints and increasing demand make this increasingly difficult. Social enterprises provide innovative and sustainable solutions to resourcing and fulfilling charitable purposes via business means. This business core option unit introduces you to social enterprises in a global perspective, and helps you to develop Human-Centred Design skills as you build a social enterprise business plan.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

  1. Apply knowledge of socially responsible business behaviour, and pro-social business theories, trends and key developments in Australian and international contexts. [KS 1.1, SE 5.2]
  2. Apply human-centred design principles to identify, collect, analyse, organise and communicate information and evidence and devise social business plans. [KS 1.2, HO 2.1, PC 3.1]
  3. Apply critical thinking and social business planning skills to develop business strategies tailored to meeting real world issues. [HO 2.2, SE 5.2]
  4. Demonstrate reflective practice in applying social enterprise knowledge and skills. [TS 4.1, TS 4.2]

Content

  • Understanding social enterprise - introduction and international overview
  • Social business missions, operational models and social value propositions
  • Using Human-Centred Design principles when developing social business plans
  • Exploring relationships, revenues and resources
  • Introduction to evaluation concepts
  • Conceptualising a theory of change
  • Reflective practice

QUT Business Capabilities (Diploma)

The content and assessment in this unit are aligned to a selection of the following set of QUT Business Capabilities, also known as Assurance of Learning Goals (AoLs). Developing these capabilities will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT and equip you with the knowledge and skills to succeed in your chosen career.


Knowledge and Technological Skills (KS)
1.1 Demonstrate and apply theoretical and technical knowledge across the broad field of business.

1.2 Apply technical and technological skills to real world business purposes and contexts.

Higher Order Thinking (HO)
2.1 Investigate real world business problems, situations and requirements through the effective analysis, evaluation and synthesis of theoretical and practical knowledge and information.
2.2 Apply cognitive, technical and creative skills to develop and evaluate approaches and perform business operations that effectively respond to a diverse range of real world business problems and needs.

Professional Communication (PC)
3.1 Apply professional communication and academic literacy knowledge and skills to communicate effectively in written forms appropriate for diverse business and academic literacy purposes and contexts.
3.2 Apply professional communication and academic literacy knowledge and skills to communicate effectively in oral forms appropriate for diverse business and academic literacy purposes and contexts.

Teamwork and Self (TS)
4.1 Exercise initiative and judgement and personal responsibility to enhance organization and performance of own work and demonstrate self reflection in relation to own learning and practice.
4.2 Exercise initiative and judgement in planning, organizing and evaluating teamwork.

Social, Ethical and Global Understanding (SE)
5.1 Apply knowledge of ethical and legal responsibility perspectives in analyzing and addressing business issues.

5.2 Apply knowledge of socially responsible behaviour in analysing and addressing business issues across business contexts.

Learning Approaches

This unit is delivered in a blended format. Weekly econtent provides a basic understanding of the theory and issues. This theoretical understanding will be developed further and applied to practical outcomes through workshops and tutorials. To achieve the learning outcomes of the unit you must complete the assigned exercises prior to class. You will be assessed on your developing knowledge, understanding and skills using a range of inter-related assessment methods.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:

  • Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, individual consultation
  • Formal: in writing, such as checklists (e.g. criteria sheets), written commentary
  • Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation
  • Indirect: to the whole class

Assessment

Overview

There are three assessment items in this unit.

The first is to develop an initial social enterprise idea, which will enable you to gain feedback on the overall idea and fundamental aspects of your proposed enterprise. This will be a group assessment item, thus providing peer learning and support around developing a social enterprise idea. Ensuring that there are viable financial, social and / or environmental value propositions, is critical to the subsequent development of a social business plan in the second assignment. 

This second assessment is focused on developing a social enterprise business plan. This core document is critical for building other aspects of the business such as marketing, financial and governance plans.

The third assessment item enables you to complete a personal reflection on the human centred design process of developing the social enterprise business plan across the unit. 

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Social Enterprise Business Idea

You will develop a new social enterprise business idea, which involves articulation of how this will meet a social and/or environmental need. The assessment will demonstrate your understanding of the needs (empathise); articulate the problem you want to solve (define); set out a potential solution (ideate); identify your preferred solution, and discuss the way your solution would deliver financial social and/or environmental value to stakeholders. You will provide a written outline of your business idea and deliver a short business pitch to a live audience. 

Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative 

Business Capabilities (AoL goals): KS (1.1), HO (2.1), TS (4.2), SE (5.2) 

Weight: 35
Length: 800 words (written outline) and 5 minutes (business pitch)
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 6
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 4

Assessment: Social Enterprise Business Plan

You will build on your social enterprise business idea to provide a fully justified social enterprise business model. Using a Business Canvas adapted to social enterprises, you will design and present, in written form, a comprehensive overview of a proposed solution and explain in detail a proposed business. An outline of how the design will be tested, and how evaluation of financial social and / or environmental performance will be communicated to stakeholders, will also be required.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Formative or Summative: Summative 

Business Capabilities (AoL goals): KS (1.1, 1.2), HO (2.2), PC (3.1), SE (5.2)

Weight: 50
Length: 2500 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 12
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3

Assessment: Individual Reflection

Social enterprises intentionally set out to create social and/or environmental change. This assessment item provides an opportunity for self-reflection on change during the course of the unit. You will be asked to reflect on your own experiences and perspectives in both the human centred design process, as well as the product (or outcome) of the design process.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Formative or Summative: Summative 

Business Capabilities (AoL goals): TS (4.1), SE (5.2)

Weight: 15
Length: 800 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 13
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 4

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

Access to a laptop/computer and Microsoft Excel.

Resources

Reading materials will be provided via the unit Canvas site.

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out-of-the ordinary risks associated with this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to view the Emergency video.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

QUT Business Capabilities (Diploma)

HO (2.1): Critical Analysis

Relates to: ULO2, Social Enterprise Business Idea

HO (2.2): Independent Judgement and Decision-Making

Relates to: ULO3, Social Enterprise Business Plan

KS (1.1): Discipline Knowledge

Relates to: ULO1, Social Enterprise Business Idea, Social Enterprise Business Plan

KS (1.2): Technical and Technological Skills

Relates to: ULO2, Social Enterprise Business Plan

PC (3.1): Professional Communication (Written)

Relates to: ULO2, Social Enterprise Business Plan

SE (5.2): Global Social Responsibility

Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, Social Enterprise Business Idea, Social Enterprise Business Plan, Individual Reflection

TS (4.1): Self-Reflection and Accountability

Relates to: ULO4, Individual Reflection

TS (4.2): Teamwork Knowledge and Skills

Relates to: ULO4

Course Learning Outcomes

This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.

BS40 Diploma in Business

  1. Demonstrate and apply foundational theoretical and technical knowledge across the broad field of business.
    Relates to: ULO1, Social Enterprise Business Idea, Social Enterprise Business Plan
  2. Apply knowledge of social responsibility perspectives in analysing and addressing business issues.
    Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, Social Enterprise Business Idea, Social Enterprise Business Plan, Individual Reflection
  3. Use technical and technological skills to understand real world business operations.
    Relates to: ULO2, Social Enterprise Business Plan
  4. Investigate real world business problems and situations through the effective analysis and evaluation of foundational theoretical and practical knowledge.
    Relates to: ULO2, Social Enterprise Business Idea
  5. Apply independent judgement and initiative in adapting and applying knowledge and skills to address real world business problems.
    Relates to: ULO3, Social Enterprise Business Plan
  6. Communicate effectively using academic language and literacy skills appropriate to purpose and context across a range of written genres.
    Relates to: ULO2, Social Enterprise Business Plan
  7. Exercise initiative, judgement and personal responsibility to enhance organisation and performance of own work and demonstrate self reflection in relation to own learning and practice.
    Relates to: ULO4, Individual Reflection
  8. Apply teamwork knowledge and skills for effective collaboration.
    Relates to: ULO4, Social Enterprise Business Idea