Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Social Economy and Purpose-Driven Businesses
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, Spanish,
Teaching staff
Upon request
Introduction
This course examines two organizational responses to social and environmental challenges within the market economy: the social economy (cooperatives, mutual societies, associations, foundations, and social enterprises) and purpose-driven businesses (B Corps, benefit corporations, and mission-led companies operating within conventional legal forms). Students will explore the historical origins, legal structures, governance models, financing mechanisms, and impact measurement approaches that characterize each track, before examining the ground they share: financing and scaling, impact measurement, public policy, and emerging trends. The course combines lectures, case study discussion, guest speakers, company visits, and applied workshops, culminating in a group comparative analysis of a social economy business and a purpose-driven business operating within the same industry.
Pre-course requirements
No pre-course requirements
Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to: understand the historical origins, principles, and diversity of legal and organizational forms within the social economy; understand corporate purpose and the frameworks, legal structures, and strategic practices that define purpose-driven businesses; compare governance, financing, and impact measurement approaches across both models; critically evaluate the public policy and regulatory ecosystem shaping both tracks; apply comparative analysis frameworks to real organizations operating in the same industry.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- C102 - Manage social entities financially: budgeting, fundraising and social finance.
- C103 - Apply impact investment instruments and social-impact measurement methods.
- C104 - Design and manage community- development and social-innovation projects.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students will be able to: define and distinguish the social economy and purpose-driven business models, including antagonism and complementarity; identify the main legal structures of each; explain financing mechanisms and constraints; apply impact measurement frameworks (theory of change, ESG, IRIS+, B Impact Assessment); analyze how public policy (EU Social Economy Action Plan, EU Taxonomy, CSRD) shapes both tracks; design and deliver a structured comparative analysis of two organizations in the same industry.
Syllabus
1. Course Introduction and the ABC Framework
2. What Is Impact? Foundational Concepts
3. Foundations of the Social Economy: Cooperatives and Mutual Societies
4. Nonprofits, Foundations, and Associations
5. Social Enterprises and Hybrid Organizations
6. Defining Corporate Purpose
7. Legal Structures for Purpose
8. Purpose and Strategy Alignment
9. Leadership and Culture in Purpose-Driven Organizations
14. Financing, Scaling, and Investing
16. Measuring Impact: Frameworks and Toolkit
18. Public Policy and the Regulatory Ecosystem
19. Future Trends
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Lectures introducing core concepts; case study discussions; guest speakers and company visits (four total); in-class debates on contested issues; applied workshops supporting the final group project; a review session ahead of the mini-exam.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
|
Class Participation & Engagement |
20% |
|
Case Study Analyses |
30% |
|
Group Comparative Analysis & Presentation |
25% |
|
Mini-Exam |
25% |
Bibliography and resources
- Defourny, J., & Nyssens, M. (2017). Fundamentals for an International Typology of Social Enterprise Models. Voluntas.
- Borzaga, C., & Defourny, J. (Eds.). (2001). The Emergence of Social Enterprise. Routledge.
- Restakis, J. (2010). Humanizing the Economy: Co-operatives in the Age of Capital. New Society Publishers.
- European Commission (2021). Building an Economy that Works for People: An Action Plan for the Social Economy.
- International Co-operative Alliance. Statement on the Co-operative Identity.
- Freeman, R. E. (1984). Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach. Pitman.
- Porter, M. E., & Kramer, M. R. (2011). Creating Shared Value. Harvard Business Review.
- Mayer, C. (2018). Prosperity: Better Business Makes the Greater Good. Oxford University Press.
- Honeyman, R., & Jana, T. (2019). The B Corp Handbook (2nd ed.). Berrett-Koehler.
- Serafeim, G. (2022). Purpose and Profit: How Business Can Lift Up the World. HarperCollins.
- Nicholls, A., Paton, R., & Emerson, J. (Eds.). (2015). Social Finance. Oxford University Press.
- Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN). IRIS+ System Documentation.
- Bugg-Levine, A., & Emerson, J. (2011). Impact Investing: Transforming How We Make Money While Making a Difference. Jossey-Bass.
- B Lab. B Impact Assessment Methodology.
- Ebrahim, A. (2019). Measuring Social Change: Performance and Accountability in a Complex World. Stanford University Press.
- Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Sustainability Reporting Standards.
- European Commission. EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities.
- European Union. Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
- OECD (2022). Recommendation on the Social and Solidarity Economy.