Units

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Sample subject outline - 6 Week Teaching Period - 3 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

This unit outline is subject to change up until two weeks prior to the first day of class. For this reason students should not purchase textbooks or undertake assessment s based upon this document until two weeks prior to the semester or until you have confirmed the details with the unit coordinator.

The nonprofit sector continues to mature and expand with the establishment of more sophisticated social enterprise programs. With significant reductions in the traditional sources of revenue, increasingly sophisticated competition and dramatic changes in expectations from clients and other stakeholder groups, the need for effective strategy and implementation has grown. This unit offers a background to social enterprises and associated issues.

NOTE: An intensive teaching session in 02 March 2013 is designed to give students a firm grasp of the content of this unit. This session will be from 2.00pm to 5.00pm and represents to first lecture the first for the unit. If you enrol in this unit after 2 March, please contact Assoc Professor Jo Barraket on 07 3138 7699.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to provide students with an introduction to social enterprise and apply that knowledge to planning business and marketing strategies tailored to enterprising nonprofits.

Objectives

Course Learning Goals (Postgraduate)

The Faculty of Business has established the Assurance of Learning (AoL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools.

Have knowledge and skills pertinent to a particular discipline (KS)

1.1 Well-researched knowledge and critical understanding applied to issues at the forefront of a specialised discipline area
1.2 Ability to select and use effectively a range of tools and technologies to locate and/or generate information appropriate to the disciplinary context

Be critical thinkers and effective problem solvers (CTA)

2.1 Apply logical, critical and creative thinking and judgement to generate appropriate solutions to problems in the disciplinary context

Be professional communicators in an intercultural context (PC)

3.1 Ability to create and present professional documents and/or reports using high levels of analysis/synthesis/evaluation for a range of contexts and audiences
3.2 Ability to orally communicate and justify ideas and information, at a professional level, for a variety of contexts and audiences, including peers and discipline specialists

Be able to work effectively in a Team Environment (TW)

4.1 Operate effectively and with flexibility to achieve common goals in collaborative settings, using a range of skills, including leadership, negotiation, reflection, proactivity and support for team members

Have a Social and Ethical Understanding (SEU)

5.1 Apply knowledge of the ethical, social and cultural dimensions relevant to business situations, including appropriate standards or codes of practice, to provide courses of action

The specific course learning goals that apply to this unit are shown in the assessment section of this unit outline.

Discipline Knowledge

On completion of the subject, students will be able to:

1. Critically analyse current trends in concepts of social enterprise;
2. Elucidate the main developments in social enterprise practice, in Australia and internationally;
3. Apply their knowledge to the practice of social enterprise or enterprising nonprofit development; and
4. Demonstrate skill in devising high quality social business or marketing plans.

Content

· Understanding social enterprise - introduction and overview
· Comparative developments in social enterprise practice
· Social entrepreneurs and social innovation
· Social business planning
· Principles of social enterprise and nonprofit marketing
· Social value creation - concepts and measurement


On completion of this unit, you should be able to:

I. Determine how to effectively apply social enterprise and marketing theories and techniques to practical situations;
II. Engage in analysis and critical thinking processes necessary to evaluate and judge theories, evidence and conclusions;
III. Demonstrate information literacy skills by identifying, collecting, analysing, organising, managing and using information and evidence in preparing a written assignment; and
IV. Demonstrate an ability to employ effective communication within a discussion forum context.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Teaching and learning strategies are designed to encourage students to fulfil the aims and objectives of the unit as discussed above. Weekly lectures (delivered via Collaborate) are used to provide a basic understanding of the issues, and this understanding will be developed through the use of workshop and self-paced learning exercises. To achieve the objectives of the unit it is essential that students complete the assigned exercises prior to attendance.

Offsite students will be able to participate with onsite students through the use of Collaborate and the Blackboard Site http://blackboard.qut.edu.au chat room and discussion forum. External authors, academics and practitioners will be invited to participate in discussions with students through both Elluminate and the Blackboard chat room and discussion forum.

Proper attention to the teaching and learning strategies should enable students to meet the assessment requirements of the unit which are carefully selected to help students to learn. You will be assessed on your developing knowledge, understanding and skills using a range of inter-related assessment methods.

Lecture materials will be available each week from the GSN487 Blackboard Site. To access the GSN487 Blackboard site, simply bookmark the following URL: http://www.blackboard.qut.edu.au

Note: The GSN487 Blackboard site can only be accessed with the use of your QUT access username and password.

Assessment

At the end of semester student grades are determined by the Faculty Academic Board. The Unit Coordinators provide the detailed assessment results to the Board, working through the relevant School. These results are advisory in nature and do not necessarily constitute the final grades awarded by the Board. In its decision the Board compares results both within units and programs, using as a guide a set of standard distribution criteria. These criteria enable the Board to systematically compare student performance, but are not applied in a prescriptive fashion.

Assessment Philosophy
The assessment in this unit aims to support your achievement of the learning objectives for both Discipline Knowledge and Other Graduate Capabilities. Assessment has been designed in order to allow you to:

Receive feedback on your learning as you progress toward the development of knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes (formative assessment); and

Demonstrate your learning in order to achieve a final grade (summative assessment).

Details of all assessment items will be made available on the unit's Blackboard site: http://blackboard.qut.edu.auStudents will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:

Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal 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 name: Reflective Essay
Description: Each student will prepare an individual paper based on the academic literature to review and analyse a select contemporary issue related to social enterprise or nonprofit marketing as outlined by the course leader.
Length/Duration: 1,500 words
Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative
Relates to objectives: Unit Objectives: 1 and 2 and AoL: KS (1.1), CTA (2.1), PC (3.1)
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 4, Friday 6pm

Assessment name: Business/Marketing Plan
Description: Social business case or marketing plan
Each student will develop a social business or marketing plan based on materials presented in weeks 4-6
Length/Duration: 1,500 words
Formative or Summative:Summative
Relates to objectives: Unit Objectives: 3 and 4 and AoL: : KS (1.1, 1.2), CTA (2.1), PC (3.1), SEU (5.1)
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 7, Friday 5pm

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Prescribed Text:

There is no prescribed text for this unit.

Required Readings

A set of required and recommended readings are available in the week one document.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in 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.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 24-Jan-2013