Promote and Practice Social
Entrepreneurship:
Social Work Education
Presented By:
Monica Nandan, Ph.D.,
MSW, MBA
WHO ARE social entrepreneurs

Dees, Emerson, and Economy (2001) define a social entrepreneur as “innovative, opportunity-oriented, resourceful,
value-creating change agents” (p. 4).

Gray, Healy, and Crofts (2003) view social entrepreneurs as innovators who balance an organization’s economic and
social goals, “who value local initiative and participation” (p. 148), and who seek “social justice outcomes” to “guide
the mission and evaluation of social entrepreneurial activity” (p. 149).

Light (2006) defines a social entrepreneur as “an individual, group, network, organization, or alliance of
organizations that seeks sustainable, large-scale change through pattern-breaking ideas in what governments,
nonprofits, and businesses do to address significant social problems” (p. 50).

Sharir and Lerner (2006) perceive social entrepreneurs as “social change agents” who “create and sustain social
value without being limited to resources currently in hand” (p. 3).

, Skoll Foundation views social entrepreneurs as transformational change agents who “pioneer innovative and
systemic approaches for meeting the needs of the marginalized—the disadvantaged and the disenfranchised—
populations that lack the financial means or political clout to achieve lasting benefits on their own” (p. 41).
Social Entrepreneurs…

Act with the intent to eliminate societal distress, rather than appease it.

Are a new generation of social change agents implementing innovative
solutions to change social equilibrium in sustainable fashion.

Emerge primarily when prevailing wisdom and paradigm unable to explain
and solve complex issues.

Continuously create social value.
SE vs. SE

Social entrepreneurship is not the same as starting/running a social
enterprise.

What is social enterprise?

An organization that advances its social mission through earned income strategies

Social enterprise could be a tool/ a mechanism for a social entrepreneurs to bring
innovation to fruition.
What is social intrapreneurship

New ventures created within an organization, by developing an innovative
product/service/process that involves risk, is proactive, and addresses an
issue differently than in the past.

What do social intrapreneurs do?

Doing things outside the “norm” and SOP.

Acting on opportunity without being limited by resources

Proactive change agents within organizations

Work with the leadership of the organization
What is social service management

Tasks fall into following categories:

Planning

Budgeting & Financial management

Human resource management

Program development

Resource development

Data management

Marketing

Governance
What can we accentuate in social work
education…

Improved networking skills

Working across systems and disciplines simultaneously

Risk taking

Recognizing opportunity

Information coupling

Tolerating ambiguity

Ability to adapt quickly.
RISK
INNOVATION
PROACTIVE INITIATIVE
HIGH
LOW
SE Continuum
Similarities & Differences

Similarities in knowledge, values and competencies

Differences in knowledge, values, competencies

What does each one create/added value, each time?

Why is SE and SI relevant for social work managers?

Funding & Funder criteria
 Impact
 Sustainability
 Ethics
 Innovation
 Social Work Managers as change agents
Compare and contrast
Management
knowledge
SE & SI
knowledge
Skills & Competencies
Skills & Competencies
Vision & Social Value
Vision and Social Values
Internships
Interdisciplinary internships
PLAN
Mapping Route to Destination…
Social
Entrepreneurship
Social
Intrapreneurship
Human Service
organization
management
Community
and
stakeholder
Today…
Cross sector
alliances
Triple
bottom
line
SE & SI
Steps
Implementation
science for
launching
Resources and people
Intervention/program/organization
structure
Examining competency and competitive
advantage
Engaging community & understanding issue comprehensively
CAUSES: DOMINO EFFECT
WHERE TO INTERVENE
From Visioning to managing
SE
•Creative/Innovative
…
•Risk taking
•Proactive
SE MGMT
SI
•Ensure you are
generating
enough income
to live on.
•Programs
•Resources
•Supervision
•Support
ed by SE
mgmt
SE and SW Education


Macro practice courses in social work

Management

Community organizing/planning/development

Policy practice

Handful of schools offer courses in social entrepreneurship.
SE education: more management focused; monodisciplinary; Limited attention to community participation, cultural
competency, development of collective vision with community, and focus on “root cause.”



University of TX, Austin: Exception.
Move from monomultiintertrans-disciplinary educational model for SE.
2010 Social Work Congress approved the following imperative…

Infuse model of sustainable business and management practices in social work education….
Multi/inter/trans Disciplinary

Models for SE education

Multidisciplinary: each discipline offers courses specific to them.

Interdisciplinary: faculty and students plan/interact/synthesize knowledge from
partnering disciplines

Transdisciplinary: community members/beneficiaries/stakeholders participate in
curriculum development and implementation.
Proposed Model for SE
Education
Key faculty from
relevant
disciplines/prof
Key
administrators in
College/Univ
Facilitator of
Process
SE EDU
MODEL
Students from
specified
disciplines/prof
Community
stake holders
Funders/
businesses
SW:
Interdisciplina
ry
Bio,
Psy
Cash
Social work borrows from diverse
disciplines…
Social Work
Eco, Pol,Soc,
Proposal….

Social work profession well poised to lead/facilitate transdisciplinary
education…for Social Entrepreneurship.

MPA and MBA focus on internal characteristics and tasks (e.g., finance, marketing,
budgeting etc)

MSW macro practice focus on external tasks (e.g., community organizing, mobilizing,
community development etc).

Time is right to collaboratively teach.

NASW Ex. Director: calling for social workers to reinvent themselves (2009)

Monica Nandan,
Department of Social Work and Human Services
Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA.