The SE Case Study length is 4-6 pages (single-spaced), excluding title page. Choose a social entrepreneur or a social enterprise (for-profit, nonprofit, or hybrid is fine) to research.
The Case Study is organized into sections. Bold/underline each section heading, use paragraphs for your content, and separate sections with one line of space. You can restate section headings in your own words if desired. Some sections may be quite short.
o Title page:This contains the title of your project(be creative);relevant short quote or proverb; abstract (150 words or less). Abstract contains a brief overview of your case study, including the main problem, the main innovation, and key lesson(s) learned.
o Introduction: This will be short, briefly noting the who, what, when, where, why, and key lesson(s) learned. Begin with an attention-grabber.
o Problem Definition and background: Describe the problem (be specific). Provide brief context (data, causes of the problem, history, implications of the problem). What led the social entrepreneur/social enterprise to focus on this problem?
o What is the Innovation/Change? Describe the innovation – the action taken that in some way was new or different. This could be innovation in a new product/service, in a process related to an existing product/service, etc.
o What is the Value Proposition? This answers the ‘so what?’ question. Why is the product or service better than alternatives? How does it solve the problem? Specificity is important.
o Implementation: How did the social entrepreneur/organization actually do it? For example, was empathy (attaining a deep understanding of the problems/realities of the people being impacted) useful? Were partnerships utilized? What was the start-up funding source?
o Obstacles/Challenges: What were the unexpected bumps and roadblocks? What were the personal challenges faced?
o Sustainability of the Organization: Was an organization created, and, if so, what type? (Nonprofit, NGO, for-profit, B-corporation, etc.) How does the social entrepreneur/organization pursue the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profits? Describe the actions taken to ensure continuance of the innovation. Is revenue being generated? Do you think the organization/activities will survive? Why or why not?
o SuccessMetrics/Impact: Describe the results of the innovation(quantitative results are desirable). What are the criteria that demonstrate success? Did the social entrepreneur/organization articulate a goal that could be measured?
o Scalability: Describe “the reach” of the organization (geography or number of people served; “scale” conveys size or reach.) Is this innovation easy or hard to scale? Why?
o Replicability: Is the model replicable in other locations to solve the same issue?Can the model be used to solve other problems? Why or why not?
o Conclusion: This will be short. In addition to summarizing key insights, consider next steps for addressing the problem or expanding the innovation.
o References: Reference list should include all sources cited in the case study, formatted in APA or MLA. In-text citation of all sources paraphrased or quoted, including pictures/graphics, should be integrated throughout the case study.
