استفاده از یادگیری تجربی به منظور تلفیق کارآفرینی اجتماعی در برنامه های کسب و کار: یک مطالعه موردی Leveraging experiential learning to incorporate social entrepreneurship in MBA programs: A case study

1. Introduction The landscape in business is changing, and business schools have to adapt. There has been a shift from a focus on just improving shareholder value and into improving the welfare of all stakeholders. Porter and Kramer (2011) identify the factors that are impacting our current market economy: “Capitalism is under siege.…In recent years, business increasingly has been viewed as a major cause of social, environmental, and economic problem … [but] the solution lies in the principle of shared value, which involves creating economic value in a way that also creates value for society by addressing its needs and challenges. Businesses must reconnect company success with social progress.” For myriad reasons, business leaders in every country around the world are finding that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an inescapable priority (Porter & Kramer, 2006). To keep up with the needs of the corporate world, business schools are incorporating various CSR issues into their curricula to remain relevant and continue to prepare students to enter a business world where knowledge and skills gained from exposure to these issues will be valuable. Companies are recognizing the interdependent nature of the relationship between business and society. One of the elements that can help students understand the relationship between business and society is social entrepreneurship. Business schools are using social entrepreneurship as one avenue to help students get exposure to issues that are relevant to the concept of shared value and demonstrate the interplay between market forces and social forces of good. Social entrepreneurship is part of the curriculum at leading business schools and is the subject of many professional and academic meetings (McLean & Peredo, 2006). This paper discusses the effectiveness of using Experiential Learning as a learning method in the context of social entrepreneurship within the MBA experience. Next, the paper discusses why business schools are including social entrepreneurship in the curriculum, the advantages and benefits the schools and students expect from these programs, and the ways in which these programs are being implemented. Finally, these concepts are brought to life through a case study focused on an experiential learning program that Emzingo Group and IE Business School provide for MBA students. This case study examination of Emzingo group is an opportunity to retain the holistic and meaningful characteristics of real-life events (Yin, 2009). The case study provides the reader with an opportunity to understand how social entrepreneurship can be integrated into management curricula through experiential learning. Second, it identifies some of the benefits of incorporating experiential learning in MBA programs. Third, some of the important elements of the case study are presented in helping educators in how some components can be used in programs that are looking to integrate social entrepreneurship in their MBA programs. Finally, this case study is in a setting that helps enhance the participants’ intercultural skills.