Social entrepreneurship is a rapidly developing field of business in which
entrepreneurs are using business methods to help solve social and environmental
challenges. This field includes “social intrapreneurship,” where employees in existing
companies similarly are developing new income opportunities for their firms by
addressing social and environmental challenges in a profitable, scalable manner.
Using the social enterprise concept, it is now increasingly possible for major
companies to move social responsibility from a cost center to a profit center.
It is critical that business students understand the opportunities and challenges in
this new landscape. It exposes the students to the tools and skills to use in starting and
sustaining social enterprises.