Course Schedule: Tuesdays, 7:00 - 8:30pm; GSB #S-183

Student Organizers:

Adam Falls ('05)
Marina Kim ('05)
Marie Kobler ('05)
Erin Krampetz (SUSE, '05)
Erin Layburn (MBA '05)
Marcela Miyazawa ('05)
Shelley Ratay (MBA '05)

Faculty Sponsors:

Professor Melanie Edwards
Lecturer, Urban Studies & Public Policy Programs
School of Humanities & Sciences
melanie.edwards@stanford.edu
Office: 650-724-3223; Cell: 650-924-0140

Professor James Phills
Co-Director, Center for Social Innovation, Graduate School of Business
phills_james@gsb.stanford.edu
Office: 650-736-0137

Office Hours: Tuesdays, 2-4pm and by appointment (Prof. Edwards); Encina Hall West #209

Course Website: http://publpol190.stanford.edu

Course Description

This is an informal lecture/discussion series that examines ideas and practices for addressing social needs in the U.S. and internationally through innovative non-profit, private sector and non-governmental organizations, and also through public-nonprofit-private sector partnerships. The series presents practitioners who are invited to share with us not only their professional ideas, practices, and perspective in their work, but also their personal interest in this work - how and why they became social innovators and entrepreneurs. The course is oriented this year to issues related to the creation and development of U.S. and international social sector initiatives- with an eye towards giving students perspectives on becoming involved in or starting their own social entrepreneurship projects.

The speaker series is organized and led by students from the Stanford social entrepreneurship group, FUSION, and the Graduate School of Business' Social Venture Club, with faculty guidance.

Please note: All students enrolled in UrbSt 163A/PP190 in Autumn Quarter 2004 are welcome to consider creating a student team for the formation or development of a U.S. or international social entrepreneurship project, and by Winter Quarter 2004 to enter that project's business plan in Stanford's Social Entrepreneur's Challenge 2004-2005 organized by students from the Stanford business and engineering entrepreneurship group BASES. Students and student teams seeking an informal laboratory to work on their ideas for a social entrepreneurship initiative may enroll this Autumn Quarter in the Lab, UrbSt 163C/PP192, "Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship" (Autumn; Wednesdays; 1:15-3:05pm; Wallenberg Hall #315; Edwards).

Framing the Speaker Series

Social entrepreneurship as practiced in the U.S and internationally is undergoing considerable transition, and the creation and development of innovative social sector initiatives is being paralleled by changes in the organizational strategies and financing of these organizations- for instance, in the growth of new approaches to social venture capital. Traditional private sector philanthropy - individual, foundation, corporate - continues to be strong, but many social sector organizations are adopting new strategies for their delivery of goods and services and for the management of their "business". What concepts, tools and practices from the private sector - "business" - are appropriate and useful for approaching our greatest challenges in health care, the environment, poverty, education, social services, international development, social justice, the arts, civil and human rights, hunger relief, affordable housing, conflict resolution…? What are the advantages and disadvantages of applying practices, mores, and values from the "business tradition," in areas such as strategy, mission/vision, finance, organizational behavior, problem analysis, accounting, evaluation and measurement, game theory - into the "social" realm?

Any approach taken to help solve U.S. and international "social problems" carries with it a "theory of change," an implicit or explicit assertion of what the "problem" is, and how to make it "better." In turn, such theories often reflect our personal and cultural beliefs about the state of the world. They cause us to ask such difficult questions as, "How did this problem come to be - was it inevitable, given our culture, economy, tradition, etc.?" "What's our theory or model for how to effectively change the situation?" "Is it better, or more or less fair or effective to rush in and try to solve a problem, or to teach people how to solve their own?" "What role do economic incentives and market discipline play in social ventures?" "How can I most positively affect the world?" and "Why might I want to help others?" Asking these questions of ourselves and of others who have given them considerable thought is a valuable practice not only in gaining perspective and understanding for helping others, but in learning about our purpose and our motivations.

Objectives

→  Provide a forum for a selective presentation and discussion of the ideas and practices of social innovation and social entrepreneurship.

→  Provide accessible speaker presentations and resources that allow students to question and develop their own beliefs regarding issues confronted in class and in their lives.

→  Enhance the community framework for social purpose initiatives both within Stanford (student, faculty, staff) and in connection with outside organizations.

→  Support an environment which may assist and inspire the creation and development of student initiated social entrepreneurship projects, including those created for the Stanford Social Entrepreneurs' Challenge.

Class Structure

The course will consist of ten speaker discussions. Speakers are invited to be interactive and collaborative in their lecture/discussions.

Prerequisites

There are neither required nor recommended prerequisites. All perspectives are welcome.

Recommended

Concurrent enrollment in the "lab" UrbanSt 163C/PP192, "Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship" is recommended for those students interested in better understanding the origins and evolution of this field and creating a U.S. or international social sector initiative.

Readings

The course organizers will reference weblinks and readings as appropriate to individual speakers and topics. There are no textbooks. Students are welcome to contribute and share materials they deem useful or informative with the class.

Attendance/Grading Policy

→  The class will be offered solely with the Satisfactory/No Credit grading option (1 unit of course credit). In order to earn a Satisfactory grade students must attend eight of the ten class meetings.

→  If any additional class must be missed, a 2-3 page written assignment will be accepted for equivalent credit.

→  A 2-3 page "idea" paper will be due on Tuesday, November 30, 2004, for all students.

*Special thanks to Gordon Bloom for contributing this syllabus.