Social Entrepreneurs and Social Designers: Change Makers with a New Mindset?
Dr Katja Fleischmann

Abstract
Economic and social problems are becoming increasingly complex. Meeting global challenges, such as climate change and an aging population, requires people who focus on creating social value rather than profit. This paper will demonstrate that social entrepreneurship and social design have gained momentum in recent years. The purpose of this paper is to explore particular design methods, such as co-creation and design thinking, which are used to facilitate collaboration to generate fresh thinking and provocative ideas in the social innovation context. Social entrepreneurs and social designers often collaborate in the process of social innovation. The role that design thinking can take as part of business and design higher education is examined. As a result it is suggested to integrate design thinking in existing curricula to educate social entrepreneurs, social designers, and graduates who are able to navigate within a shifting economic, social, cultural and technological landscape.

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