MANAGEMT 7117NA - Social Enterprise Project

Ngee Ann Academy - Quadmester 4 - 2017

The purpose of this course is: 1. To place the cumulative learning from MBA core courses in the context of social enterprise and explore the practical applications and ramifications. 2. To apply the systemic action research approach to a social enterprise field research project. This research project will be planned and undertaken collaboratively and reported on and evaluated individually. It will draw on all the knowledge, insights and capabilities developed in the previous courses of the Adelaide MBA. Each project group will have an academic supervisor who will ensure all the individuals in that group contribute to designing, generating and evaluating a Social Enterprise Acton research project. All projects must be designed to conceive, establish, refine or grow a social enterprise which will operate commercially while addressing a social problem or opportunity. The emphasis will be on systems awareness and identifying enduring, holistic solutions, rather than short-term fixes. Students will be required to investigate, analyse and synthesise complex concepts and theories and to argue propositions, methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions with reference to relevant theory. That is to apply the learning gained from previous courses in the MBA. Students will collaborate with community stakeholders. Well-developed communication, interpersonal and leadership skills will be required. These projects will be designed in recognition that complex global and local challenges ? challenges that affect natural, social and economic 'ecologies' ? do not readily succumb to the mechanistic, reductionist thinking that has served humankind so well in other contexts. In these complex environments, we must make important decisions in which finance, economics, people and nature are all highly interconnected. Geographic and temporal horizons must be expanded. We must develop the capacity to engage with wholes, not just parts.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code MANAGEMT 7117NA
    Course Social Enterprise Project
    Coordinating Unit Adelaide Business School
    Term Quadmester 4
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s Ngee Ann Academy
    Units 6
    Course Description The purpose of this course is:
    1. To place the cumulative learning from MBA core courses in the context of social enterprise and explore the practical applications and ramifications.
    2. To apply the systemic action research approach to a social enterprise field research project.
    This research project will be planned and undertaken collaboratively and reported on and evaluated individually. It will draw on all the knowledge, insights and capabilities developed in the previous courses of the Adelaide MBA.
    Each project group will have an academic supervisor who will ensure all the individuals in that group contribute to designing, generating and evaluating a Social Enterprise Acton research project.
    All projects must be designed to conceive, establish, refine or grow a social enterprise which will operate commercially while addressing a social problem or opportunity.
    The emphasis will be on systems awareness and identifying enduring, holistic solutions, rather than short-term fixes.
    Students will be required to investigate, analyse and synthesise complex concepts and theories and to argue propositions, methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions with reference to relevant theory. That is to apply the learning gained from previous courses in the MBA.
    Students will collaborate with community stakeholders. Well-developed communication, interpersonal and leadership skills will be required.
    These projects will be designed in recognition that complex global and local challenges ? challenges that affect natural, social and economic 'ecologies' ? do not readily succumb to the mechanistic, reductionist thinking that has served humankind so well in other contexts. In these complex environments, we must make important decisions in which finance, economics, people and nature are all highly interconnected. Geographic and temporal horizons must be expanded. We must develop the capacity to engage with wholes, not just parts.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Sam Wells

    CONTACT DETAILS:

    Dr Sam Wells
    The University of Adelaide Business School
    Room 1027, Level 10, 10 Pulteney Stree
    tThe University of Adelaide
    South Australia    5005
    Telephone: 8303 8336
    Mobile:   0419 819 959
    sam.wells@adelaide.edu.au
    Each Social Enterprise Action Research Project group will have its own academic supervisor.  The supervisor will provide advice and guidance during the development and design of the research proposal, during the action research in the field, and during the preparation of the research report and presentation.


    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

    1.  Apply an action research approach to undertake a research project in the field of enterprise.

    2.  Apply their knowledge of management theory and practice to a practical research challenge in an enterprise context.

    3.  Report on their research purpose, design, data analysis, findings and conclusions in a professionally and academically relevant form.

    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1,2,3
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    1,2,3
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    1,3
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    1,2
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    1,2
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    1
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    TBA
    Recommended Resources
    TBA – additional recommended resources required to support learning for this course e.g. reading lists, web-links, library resources, essay writing guides, study guides, referencing, computing laboratories, IT support, printing quotas, use of TURNITIN as an educational tool
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    Supervised action research – there is no coursework

    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements. Students could expect to spend a total of about 300 hours on the social enterprise project (this includes face-to-face contact with the supervisor, contact with the research sponsoring organisation and self-directed research).
    Learning Activities Summary
    Students will be self-directed and, while monitored and guided by their academic supervisor, largely autonomous.
    Students will be responsible for managing their time and work-flow.
    Students’ learning will predominantly result from exploration of relevant literature, collaboration with the research sponsor, critical reflection, and the analysis of research data.
    The academic supervisor’s role will be to facilitate that learning and provide critical feedback in relation to the process and substance of their research.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    ASSESSMENT TASK WEIGHTING
    Group Project Brief - finalised research
    proposal, project action plan, documented (e.g. memorandum of understanding)
    agreement with research sponsor
    10%
    Research Report 50%





    Research presentation
    ·Trial run presented to supervisor and other appropriate
    Business School staff
    · Final presentation to sponsoring organisation








    10%


    10%
    Reflective project journal - created throughout
    the life of the project
    20%
    Assessment Detail
    Research Report and Presentation
    Students will prepare a research report outlining the problem being addressed, research design, analysis and findings, conclusions and recommendations for action.  Students will make a presentation on their project describing the approach taken and its outcomes. The focus of the presentation will be on why certain actions were taken and decisions made, and the effect of these.
    Presentations will be made to peers, academics and the research ‘sponsors’, as relevant. Each presentation will be no more than 30 minutes including time for questions.
     
    Individual Refection Journal
    The individual journal will map the learning journey of each student participating in the Social Enterprise Project.  Insights, learnings, questions, ‘Aha!’ moments, critical reflections on theory and practice, in relation to the action research approach and systems thinking, leadership, accounting, marketing, management, finance, economics, the global context and strategy.  The whole MBA is conceived as a personal journey, and this capstone research project provides an opportunity to take stock and to articulate new levels of understanding and self-awareness.


     


     




    Submission
    Timing of submission for both the research report and the presentation will be agreed with the supervisor.  Any extension to agreed
    deadlines must be agreed in advance with the supervisor (and with the research sponsor, where appropriate).  Failure to meet an agreed deadline will attract a penalty of up to 5% of the relevant assessment per day past the deadline.

    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.