Managing Social Innovation 2016/2017

3.5 ECTs / Trimester / English

 In the last years social innovation has acquired centrality in the debate among practitioners, media, policy makers and academicians because it represents a “ray of hope” against social inequalities, poverty, human rights abuses, unemployment and environmental damages. Through social innovation traditional organizations and social enterprises can successfully tackle complex social problems while making profit.

Managing social innovation extremely challenging because recomposing social value creation and wealth generation in a single venture requires the development of specific and complex skill, capabilities, and managerial practices. Yet, organizations that are capable to manage social innovation successfully can not only drive a positive change in society but also acquire a sustainable competitive advantage.

So: What are the key winning factors of social innovation? Where does social innovation occur? How is it possible to combine different and apparently antithetic objectives – social impact and profitability – in the same organization? How is it possible to transform a social problem in a business opportunity with positive social impact?

This course will assist students to answer such questions through the discussion of case studies, and articles from prominent managerial and academic journals.

Prerequisites: N/A.

 

Faculty

Associate Professor
Tommaso Ramus, Associate Professor and Executive Director of the Center for Ethics, Business and Economics (CEBE). Received a MSc in Business Administration…