Advanced Diploma in Management

Purpose

The intention of the Advanced Diploma in Management is to enhance and enrich the knowledge and skills that are required in all sub-sectors of management; to release the potential of people; and to provide opportunities for people to move up the value chain and between the different sectors of the economy. It is particularly suitable for continuing professional development.

The Advanced Diploma in Management should produce knowledgeable, intellectually skilled individuals who are able to contribute to improved productivity and efficiency within the organisation. It should provide the means for current individuals in the general management field to receive recognition of prior learning and to upgrade their skills and knowledge base.

The qualification is structured in such a way that it exposes individuals to a set of core competences to give a broad understanding of general and public management. The electives allow for a deep and systematic understanding of current thinking, practice, theory and methodology.

Rationale

The Advanced Diploma in Management is designed to provide the graduate with a deep and systematic understanding of current thinking, practice, theory and methodology in the field of general management. It provides intellectual enrichment and enhances flexibility in the light of changing circumstances.

The qualification is offered as an open distance learning programme. As a force contributing to social and economic development, open and distance learning is fast becoming an accepted and indispensable part of the mainstream of educational systems in both developed and developing countries, with particular emphasis for the latter. The terms open learning and distance education represent approaches that focus on opening access to education and training provision, freeing learners from the constraints of time and place, and offering flexible learning opportunities to individuals and groups of learners. Open and distance learning is one of the most rapidly growing fields of education, and its potential impact on all education delivery systems has been greatly accentuated through the development of Internet-based information technologies, and in particular the World Wide Web. In 1994, the African National Congress (ANC) document: A Policy Framework for Education and Training outlined a vision of a future well-designed and quality distance education system based on the principles of open learning. For Southern Business School the open distance learning context and the importance of this mode of learning is paramount in our endeavour to meet the needs of learners and stakeholders.

Investing in education is critical to economic and social development in Africa, especially in providing Africans with greater opportunities for personal and collective advancement. The Programme for the Transformation on Higher Education: Education White Paper 3 (Department of Education, 1997) is very clear with regard to the importance of training effective managers, especially with the view of addressing the imbalances of the past - the following are direct quotes from the document): "There is a chronic mismatch between the output of higher education and the needs of a modernizing economy. In particular, there is a shortage of highly trained graduates in fields such as science, engineering, technology and commerce (largely as a result of discriminatory practices that have limited the access of black and women learners), and this has been detrimental to social and economic development." "...higher education must provide education and training to develop the skills and innovations necessary for national development and successful participation in the global economy." "Human resource development: The mobilisation of human talent and potential through lifelong learning to contribute to the social, economic, cultural and intellectual life of a rapidly changing society." "Production, acquisition and application of new knowledge: national growth and competitiveness is dependent on continuous technological improvement and innovation, driven by a well-organised, vibrant research and development system which integrates the research and training capacity of higher education with the needs of industry and of social reconstruction." There is a clearly defined goal to further the development of managers and management on national level. Southern Business School, as a provider of open distance learning, focuses especially on national needs and, in line with our mission statement, specifically on the need for quality, accessible, and recognised education in the field of management.

A learner should be able to

• Demonstrate efficiency in English language skills.
• Demonstrate efficiency in numeracy skills at NQF Level 5.
• Take responsibility for their studies and progress within the learning environment.
• Undertake self evaluation.
• Analyse information.
• Give a comprehendible presentation.
• Demonstrate fundamental understanding of general management and business principles.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The structure of this qualification makes the Recognition of Prior Learning possible, if the learner is able to demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this Qualification. Recognition of Prior Learning will be done by means of an Integrated Assessment as mentioned in the previous paragraph.

This Recognition of Prior Learning may allow

• For accelerated access to further learning.
• Gaining of credits towards any of the Exit Level Outcomes in this qualification.

All recognition of Prior Learning is subject to quality assurance by the relevant accredited Education and Training Quality Assurance Body (ETQA) and must be conducted by a registered work-place assessor. Identified outcomes may have been acquired in a range of economic sectors and these will be considered as appropriate where the candidate provides evidence of the applicability of that learning to this qualification.

Access to the qualification

Learners registering for this qualification should already have achieved the Diploma in Management, NQF Level 6 or an appropriate Diploma or Bachelor's degree or equivalent.

The Advanced Diploma in Management is a 120 Credit qualification at NQF Level 7. The exit level outcomes have been grouped into fundamental, core and elective components.

Fundamental

• Management: 5 Credits at NQF Level 7.
• Research Methodology: 5 Credits at NQF Level 7.

Core

• Management: 20 Credits at NQF Level 7.
• Leadership: 25 Credits at NQF Level 7.
• Research Methodology: 20 Credits at NQF Level 7.

Electives: Select any three of the following

• Labour law: 15 Credits at NQF Level 7.
• Labour relations: 15 Credits at NQF Level 7.
• Financial management: 15 Credits at NQF Level 7.
• Human resource development: 15 Credits at NQF Level 7.
• Human resource management: 15 Credits at NQF Level 7.
• Organisational behaviour: 15 Credits at NQF Level 7.
• Project management: 15 Credits at NQF Level 7.
• Public management: 15 Credits at NQF Level 7.

Learning Components; Number of credits allocated; NQF Level

• Fundamentals; 10 Credits; NQF Level 7.
• Core; 65 Credits; NQF Level 7.
• Elective; 45 Credits; NQF Level 7.

Exit Level Outcomes Research Methodology

• Prepare a research proposal and illustrate advanced understanding of research in an organisation.

Exit Level Outcomes Management

• Generate, explore and consider options relating to strategic management in an organisation.

Exit Level Outcomes Leadership

• Critically analyse and illustrate advanced understanding of leadership in the business environment.

Exit Level Outcomes Electives (Labour law, labour relations, financial management, human resource development, human resource management, organisational behaviour, project management, and public management):

• Demonstrate advanced understanding of - and the ability to critically analyse any three of the following managerial aspects from a strategic perspective: Labour law, labour relations, financial management, human resource development, human resource management, organisational behaviour, project management, and public management.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes for Research

• Research methodology concepts and processes are described with reference to research in the business environment and the role of ethics and communication in research analysed.
• A research proposal is produced.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes for Management

• Strategic management concepts are applied to critically analyse, apply, review, evaluate and control appropriately selected strategies within the framework of a strategic management process in the organisation

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes for Leadership

• Detailed analysis of the leadership concept in context leads to the generation, exploration, consideration and decisions regarding a variety of leadership theory and models.
• Quality management and its relation to leadership are critically analysed.
• The relationship between leadership and change is critically analysed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes for Labour Law

• The employment contract, dismissal, labour practices, dispute resolution, collective labour law, freedom of association, and the rights of organisations and employees are analysed, described and assessed against current legislation and case studies.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes for Labour Relations

• Labour relations are contextualised and an advanced understanding of the external relations context and statutory employment relations in South Africa illustrated.
• The roles of a number of important players in the employment relations context are critically analysed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes for Financial Management

• The role and environment of managerial finance is described.
• Financial statements analysed.
• Cash flow and financial planning, the time value of money, the relationship between risk and return, stock valuation, capital budgeting and cash flow principles, capital budgeting techniques, risks and refinements in capital budgeting, the cost of capital, leveraging and capital structure, working capital and current assets management, current liabilities management, and international managerial finance are described and analysed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes for Human Resource Development

• The current human resource development environment is analysed with reference to relevant legislation and the learning organisation
• A learning needs analysis is described and conducted, followed by the planning, organising and evaluation of appropriate human resource interventions
• The relationship between quality management and human resource development is analysed

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes for Human Resource Management

• The strategic role of human resource management in a changing environment and as a catalyst for gaining a competitive advantage for the organisation is described and evaluated.
• The relationship between leadership, intellectual capital, flexible patterns of work, technology, the international environment and human resource management is described and considered.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes for Organisational Behaviour

• Organisational behaviour in a diverse global context is discussed.
• The foundations of individual and group behaviour are analysed.
• The role of communication, organisational structure, work design and technology, and organisational culture in influencing organisational behaviour is comprehensively examined.
• The relationship between organisational change and stress management is analysed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes for Project Management

• Key project management concepts and tools are analysed.
• Project management approaches and methodologies are compared.
• Project implementation approaches are differentiated.
• Project management control measures are analysed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes for Public Sector Management

• Governance and public management, its scope, role and structure is analysed.
• The strategic leadership role of public managers is analysed in the context of strategic public management and service delivery strategies and mechanisms.
• The future of public management is considered.

Associated Assessment Criteria

The very nature of this qualification requires the learner to demonstrate competency in the English language as used in business, basic numeracy as required for elementary bookkeeping calculations, budgeting, pricing etc; management of self and interaction with others as well as an appreciation of the inter-relationship between the various business functions, and the role of both small, micro, medium and large enterprises in the development of the economy. Integrated assessment methods will therefore encompass all of the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes.

Integrated Assessment

Because assessment practices must be open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable and ensure that no learner is disadvantaged in any way whatsoever, an integrated assessment approach is incorporated into the Qualification. Learning, teaching and assessment are inextricably linked. Whenever possible, the assessment of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values shown in the exit level outcomes should be integrated.

Integrated assessment of these criteria will be achieved by a variety of strategies, including written examinations, individual projects and assignments. Learners are required to demonstrate an ability to consider a range of options and make decisions in mathematical finance, as well as to under-stand, reflect and critically evaluate the fundamental issues as they pertain to the work place or professional environment.

Assessment should ensure that all outcomes, embedded knowledge and critical cross-field out-comes are assessed. The assessment of the critical cross-field outcomes should be integrated with the assessment of specific outcomes and embedded knowledge.