Session on Managing Business vs. Managing Social Enterprise: The Management Lens

Management education becomes truly meaningful when classrooms transform into spaces where purpose meets practice.

At SDMIMD, Mysuru, learning extends beyond textbooks through conversations with leaders who are creating impact on the ground. As part of the Social Enterprise Research (SER) course, our alumnus Mr. Nishanth M. S. (PGDM 2015), Founder & CEO, Luminary Axis, engaged students in an inspiring session on “Managing Business vs. Managing Social Enterprise: The Management Lens.”

The session challenged a conventional question: Is success measured only by profits? Through thought-provoking discussions and real-world case studies, participants explored how organizations can create sustainable value by integrating economic viability with social and environmental responsibility.

Drawing upon contemporary frameworks such as ESG, Theory of Change, Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP), IRIS+, B Impact Assessment, UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and Social Return on Investment (SROI), the session highlighted how purpose-driven enterprises are redefining the future of management. Real-world examples including KHETI, The Akshayapatra Foundation, and SELCO Foundation demonstrated how organizations can successfully balance financial sustainability with measurable social impact.