2017 CLS Swahili Topical Course

CLS Arusha Topical Course Business and Entrepreneurship: Social Entrepreneurship in Tanzania Course Description Social Entrepreneurship involves taking a business-like, innovative approach to the mission of delivering community services in order to improve people’s lives, socially and economically. Social enterprise business ventures adapt various aspects of the market model that emphasize on the core value of people rather than profit, a profit leveraged to a social end, rather than as an end itself. The social entrepreneur uses earned income strategies to pursue a social objective, simultaneously seeking both a financial and social return on investment. Social enterprises serve multiple functions and purposes, but they mainly help diversify the funding base of not-for-profit organizations particularly when government funding for social enterprises has been cut off and foundation or individual funds are limited and hotly competed for. Social enterprises principally reinvest their profits or surpluses for social objectives. The course emphasis will be on how such organizations are started or retooled, how they are sustained using the best elements of the for-profit business world, and the various business models that are adopted to achieve organizational mission and success. The class will focus on case studies, authentic excursions and discussions that will give students an understanding of the course. The course takes a local perspective, as the organizations or models discussed and analyzed are from Tanzania mainly Moshi and Arusha areas. This course is not required, and students will not receive academic credit for participation. Students who choose to opt-in to this course can expect a time commitment of 3 hours per week in class (discussion and excursions) in addition to homework. Homework may include assignments such as reading articles to prepare for an in-class discussion, doing online research on a topic prior to a group excursion, or other tasks as assigned by the instructor. Course Objective 1. Distinguish various approaches to entrepreneurship/social entrepreneurship. 2. Examine process of starting or retooling (formation) social enterprises as well as sustaining and growing them. 3. Discuss various fundraising and marketing strategies that social enterprises capitalize on. 4. Explain essential steps for business plan writing. 5. Examine the methods of assessing and evaluating performance of social businesses or enterprises. 6. Discuss growth, sustainability and scaling up of social enterprises. Discuss the problems and ethical challenges faced by social entrepreneurs as well as offering possible solutions.