ENSn4656 Developing an eco-social enterprise

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Tim Crabtree (lecturer), RNDr. Naděžda Vlašín Johanisová, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Karel Stibral, Ph.D.
Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Kateřina Hendrychová
Supplier department: Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Mon 31. 3. 10:00–11:40 P24b, Tue 1. 4. 10:00–11:40 U33, Wed 2. 4. 10:00–11:40 Aula, Thu 3. 4. 10:00–11:40 P24a, Fri 4. 4. 10:00–11:40 P52
Prerequisites
TYP_STUDIA(N)
None
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 16/20, only registered: 1/20, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The main objective of the course is to introduce students to the concept of eco-social enterprise, to the intellectual background and rationale for the development of such enterprises and to the key features of such enterprises within the broader field of the social economy. These include organisational structure, financing, operations, ethos and the role of secondary structures. Eco-social enterprises will be framed as a medium for mitigating current problems associated with globalised economic systems, especially issues of environmental sustainability and inequality.
The course will present examples of eco-social enterprises in the fields of food, energy, housing and textiles. These all have a material dimension and a consequent relationship with the environment. Therefore the course will also explore concepts such as bioregioning, localisation and the potential for distributed forms of production – and students will explore the implications of such approaches for the proposals for eco-social enterprises which they will develop in small groups.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Understand the rationale for the development of eco-social enterprises, as a way to address the problems associated with globalised, neo-liberal economic systems, such as growing inequality and the exceeding of critical environmental limits.
- Understand the key features of eco-social enterprises within the social economy – including organisational structures, financing, operations, ethos, the role of collaboration and secondary structures, etc.
- Explore the key intention and purpose of an actual or proposed venture, and how this can be translated into a theory of change and a summary business plan format (the business canvas).
- Understand how new economic models of finance, the commons, democratization and localisation can be incorporated into a venture.
- Evaluate the potential applicability of bioregioning, localisation and distributed production to eco-social enterprise.
- Explore the role of materials within eco-social enterprise, including issues of agency, affect and care.
- Apply learning from the course to the design of an eco-social enterprise, deploying systems tools such as theory of change and the business canvas.
- Critique the limitations of simple systems tools in the light of real world processes of complexity.
Syllabus
  • 1 Local economic systems
  • The first lecture will begin with a presentation of the tutor’s work in South West England over the last 20 years. The practical initiatives presented will then be used as a basis for an exploration of the purpose of the economy and the potential role of eco-social enterprises. Theories introduced will include JK Gibson-Graham’s diverse economies approach, Max-Neef’s concept of needs and satisfiers. Participants’ will be asked to propose actual or potential enterprises that can act as a focus for group working during the week, and the session will conclude by introducing how to use systems thinking approaches to develop eco-social enterprises.
  • 2 The development of successful eco-social enterprises
  • The second lecture will draw on systems thinking and ecological design principles - beginning with an exploration of the 5 capitals model, and the way in which these five inputs can be combined to create economic goods and services. This will entail: - Understanding the importance of the environment and the need for regenerative rather than extractive approaches. - Assessing the requirement for physical equipment and buildings. - Understanding the motivations and potential roles of the people involved in an enterprise, including the potential for citizens to become active agents within the enterprise (for example as investors or volunteers). - Understanding the role of money – including grants, equity, debt and retained surpluses. - Exploring the importance of social capital and legal structure and the inter-relationship with finance. Students will then be asked to work groups on an eco-social enterprise case study. This will entail developing a theory of change showing how proposed activities translate into outputs and longer term outcomes.
  • 3 Developing an eco-social enterprise – finance and operations
  • The session will present approaches to financing eco-social enterprises, through grants, loans and equity. Students will explore how outputs will get to consumers, through marketing and distribution. This will include describing the key inputs required, and describing the key operations of the enterprise and the way in which those operations will be managed. Students will also explore how waste will be eliminated or recycled, and the potential to create a “circular” model of enterprise which entails recycling wastes, eliminating pollution and being powered from renewable sources. Students will also explore opportunities for collaboration with other eco-social enterprises.
  • 4 The development of eco-social enterprises within local economic systems and bioregions.
  • The session will explore concepts such as localisation, bioregioning and distributed production. Students will explore the relevance of such approaches to their eco-social enterprises, as well as approaches to eco-systems, materials and non-human others that consider agency, affect and care. Participants will also explore the implications of approaches such as complexity theory for the operation of eco-social enterprises, when we see them as constantly evolving complex relational processes rather than static „things“ that are easily managed.
  • 5 Group presentations The final lecture is an opportunity for students to present their case study eco-social enterprises to the wider group. Students will be assessed for their contributions and therefore attendance at this session is compulsory. The tutor and participants will provide feedback to each group.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • The handbook of diverse economies. Edited by J. K. Gibson-Graham - Kelly Dombroski. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar publishing, 2020, xix, 546. ISBN 9781802208368. info
  • Building sustainable communities :tools and concepts for self-reliant economic change. Edited by Ward Morehouse. 2nd ed. New York: Bootstrap Press, 1997, xiii, 218. ISBN 1-897766-34-3. info
  • The living economy : a new economics in the making. Edited by Paul Ekins. London: Routledge, 1989, xviii, 398. ISBN 0415039371. info
  • Hopkins, R. (2011). The transition companion. Totnes: Transition Books.
  • JACOBS, Jane. The nature of economies. New York: Vintage Books, 2000, x, 190. ISBN 0375702431. info
  • KELLY, Marjorie. Owning our future : the emerging ownership revolution. 1st ed. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2012, xi, 247. ISBN 9781605093109. info
  • LEWIS, Mike and Pat CONATY. The resilience imperative : cooperative transitions to a steady-state economy. Gabriola, BC: New Society Publishers, 2012, x, 389. ISBN 9780865717077. info
  • Schumacher, E. F. (1981). Small is possible. New York: Harper & Row.
  • Murray R., Caulier-Grice J. Mulgan G. (2010), The Open Book of Social Innovation, [on-line] www.nesta.org.uk
  • OSTERWALDER, A. and Y. PIGNEUR. Business model generation: A handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &Sons, 2010. info
  • Restakis, J. (2010). Humanizing the economy: Co-operatives in the age of capital. Gabriola, B.C: New Society Publishers.
  • Shaw, P. (2002). Changing conversations in organizations. London:
Teaching methods
Learning activities and teaching methods will include presentation-supported lectures, structured class discussions, work in groups and development of individual eco-social enterprise case studies by students.
Assessment methods
Students will be asked to propose a real or hypothetical eco-social enterprise which they can explore further during the course. They will then be asked to prepare and give a presentation, describing their eco-social enterprise and summarising their learning during the course.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
General note: Předmět určen primárně pro mateřské obory. Pro naplnění kapacity předmětu lze doplnit i studenty jiných oborů.
Teacher's information
Course Tutor

Tim Crabtree, MA (Oxon), works with Wessex Community Assets and Dorset Community Energy, developing renewable energy, sustainable housing, regenerative textiles and local food initiatives. He has 30 years experience of social economy development, in policy (with the New Economics Foundation), in local economic development agencies, and as a social entrepreneur developing a range of eco-social enterprises.

The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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