Advanced Diploma in Management Services

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to produce learners who are able to apply cognitive competencies pertaining to the acquisition, interpretation, and applications of best practices and management services within an organisation. This will enable learners to provide problem-solving services to medium- or large- sized organisations and management support that improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation.

Rationale

Management services is an essential administrative tool that can assist with questions on organisational effectiveness and the establishment of work procedures and methods. This qualification is intended to have a major influence on the quality of decision-making undertaken by future management professionals. It is designed to enrich the learners' body of knowledge, providing the critical skills and abilities needed in today's industry and in the field of Management services, with special emphasis on Management Services techniques, research methods and Management Services tools.

This qualification aims to

• Strive for the delivery and provision of skills related to Management Services, to create suitably qualified professionals for the public sector, commerce and industry.
• Maintain and enhance academic excellence through advanced research and instruction in Management Services.
• Contribute towards the development of the South African commerce and industry through the provision of quality and professional consultancy services and industry based student projects.
• Assist small to medium scale industries to establish sound Management Service practices.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is accepted as an integral part of education and academic practice. It is acknowledged that all learning has value and the Faculty will therefore endeavour to assess prior learning and award credit where relevant.

RPL policy will be applied as follows for purposes of this qualification

• Through RPL a learner may gain access, or advanced placement, or recognition of status.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement is

• A 360 Credits Diploma in Operations Management or Management Services or Quality Management.

This qualification consists of compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 7 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules

• Organisational effectiveness A, 16 Credits.
• Quality Planning and Implementation, 16 Credits.
• Research Methodology, 16 Credits.
• Job Analysis, 16 Credits.
• Strategic Management, 16 Credits.
• Project Management, 16 Credits.
• Organisational Effectiveness B, 12 Credits.
• Management Economics, 12 Credits.

1. Apply manufacturing, operations and services to an organisation in a way that improves organisational development and effectiveness.
2. Assess and validate strategic management services and strategies required to organise, plan, lead and control a system and operational processes to function optimally.
3. Explain the dynamics of systems management and design in order to maximise organisational performance, development, efficiency and effectiveness.
4. Assist in the efficient and effective running of an organisation.
5. Improve overall organisational planning, operational, tactical and strategic implementation and performance.
6. Illustrate the application and implementation of management services techniques, ideas, principles, theories and strategies in order to optimise operational processes and the use of resources.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Illustrate the extent and impact of organisational development within the strategic imperatives of an organisation.
• Design and manage the planned change processes in an organisation.
• Diagnose an organisation with the aim to design an organisational development (OD) intervention process.
• Distinguish between and design the different types of OD interventions.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Discuss the optimisation of all internal processes and resources in the context of resources constraints.
• Illustrate the importance of properly managed manufacturing or service operations as a competitive weapon.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Validate definitions, the product and service dimensions and functional perspectives of quality.
• Explain the spheres of quality and the contingency and cultural perspectives of quality.
• Discuss theoretical observations and contributions by industry leaders.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Gather data to analyse and specify the requirements of a system.
• Design system components and environments.
• Build general and detailed models that assist programmers in implementing a system.
• Design a database for storing data and a user interface for data input and output, as well as controls to protect the system and its data.
• Discuss the techniques in order to make sound decisions required for the efficient running of an organisation.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Formulate a vision and a mission statement.
• Formulate the business environment of an organisation, and strategic goals, and gaps.
• Select and implement effective strategies.
• Apply different management services practices, principles, methods, techniques and ideas in order to improve organisational planning.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Apply theoretical principles to project assessments and scenarios.
• Identify organisational problems and make recommendations that are practical and feasible.
• Analyse and justify recommendations and their applications.

Integrated Assessment

There will be at least one assessment opportunity before the final Summative Assessment for each module.

Formative Assessment: the modules consist of different forms of Formative Assessments consisting of project reports, case studies, assignments etc., which will be implemented in each module, depending on the nature of the module. For example, feedback on assignments is returned to the learners within reasonable time, project presentations are scheduled in order for the instructor to provide comments, etc. These progress assessments are done solely by the module instructor. However, the final examination will require the involvement of a suitable external course examiner, who will be requested to approve the module examination paper and mark grading provided by the course instructor. No experiential learning is involved in the qualification.

Summative Assessment: For the modules, each intermediate or progress assessment will be awarded a mark, which will be combined with the final examination mark based on pre-determined weightings for the module.