Module Code - Title:
EP4019
-
CREATING SOCIAL INNOVATION AND DELIVERING SOCIAL IMPACTS
Year Last Offered:
N/A
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
N
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
The long-term success of a business is no longer determined solely by its financial performance or market dominance. Social Innovation and social impact are increasingly used to gauge enterprise success as they generate impact beyond financial profits. Social innovation treats social problems as business opportunities, developing new models, products, or services that benefit society while also driving profit and market growth, balancing commercial success with broader societal impact. It's about the positive contribution a company makes to its community, workforce, environment, and broader society beyond financial metrics.
Syllabus:
Introduction to social innovation, defining social problems, drivers of social innovation; AI and Digitalisation as an enabler/barrier to social innovation and impact; design thinking for social innovation; Inclusive business models; the process of social innovation and value creation; measuring impact (Theory of Change, impact investing), implementation of social innovation initiatives; measuring and reporting Social Impact; responsible management, professional ethics, leading social change within organisations.
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
Explain the concept and importance of Corporate Social Innovation and its role in creating shared value for business and society.
Evaluate global trends, frameworks, and best practices in social innovation, including alignment with sustainability goals.
Design a social innovation strategy or initiative that integrates innovation into business models to address social and environmental challenges
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
Demonstrate collaborative and ethical decision-making in developing socially innovative solutions.
Demonstrate ethical and responsible management skills to champion social innovation in an organisation.
Critically assess the impact and scalability of CSI initiatives using appropriate metrics and evaluation tools.
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
N/A
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
The module will combine theoretical foundations with hands-on, experiential learning to ensure students can both understand and apply concepts of social innovation and impact in different business contexts. Lectures will introduce key principles, frameworks, and global trends shaping social innovation. These will be complemented by experiential learning activities to apply concepts in real-world contexts. Overall, delivery methods such as the flipped classroom, peer learning, and role-play simulations will foster creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking to enhance ethical and responsible management skills developing the UL graduate attributes of “responsible”, “articulate”, “courageous”, and “curious”
Prime Texts:
Portales, L. (2019)
Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship: Fundamentals, Concepts, and Tools
, Springer
Other Relevant Texts:
Fields, Z., Mackel, L. and Sonnenburg, S. (2025)
Driving Transformational Innovation With Social Creativity
, IGI Global
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
BACHELOR OF BUSINESS STUDIES
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Spring
Module Leader:
briga.hynes@ul.ie