Bachelor of Business Administration in Retail Management

Purpose

The Bachelor of Business Administration in Retail Management will prepare learners for careers in the retail industry. Qualifying learners will add value to a business by applying their knowledge of all aspects of retail business in a manner that will help the business to gain a competitive market advantage, against a very informed understanding of the support services and functions, such as the logistics, finance, human resources and stock management required to support growth and sustainability.

Academic coherence is achieved by cross-referencing and integrating topics covered in other modules in some of the projects, assignments and case studies. Learning over the three years logically progresses from primarily theoretical content in first year, which provides the foundation for the core Exit Level Outcomes, to increasingly more strategic and applied content in the second and third year. The specific selection and arrangement of modules and learning content ensures that adequate provision is made for progression of learning and in support of the achievement of Exit Level Outcomes.

Rationale

This qualification is designed to produce qualifying learners who will be able to take up junior management positions in the retail industry from where they can progress to middle and senior management positions over time. The retail industry in South Africa is of considerable economic importance, given that it contributes to around two-thirds of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This qualification will aim to help fill the need for educated and skilled managers in the retail industry.

The skills and knowledge areas incorporated into the qualification have been identified by industry specialists as critical components required to develop the knowledge and competence to achieve the outcomes and objectives of the programme.

Career opportunities for qualifying learners exist in/as

• Retail Management.
• Operations Management.
• Supervisors in the retail industry.
• Human Resource Officers.
• Project managers.
• Shop Managers.

Qualifying learners will be prepared to continue their studies in relevant fields at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 8.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL is conducted in accordance to the institution Recognition of Prior Learning Policy. This Policy provides processes and procedures by which RPL is conducted. These processes and procedures include:

• Candidate profiling.
• Selection.
• Preparation for assessment and assessment.
• Credit awarding.

Learners who do not meet the minimum admission requirements of a particular programme, could, under certain conditions, apply for admission based on Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Through RPL, the institution will therefore endeavour to responsibly widen access to learners.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Senior Certificate, National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 4.

Or

• National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4.

Or

• National Certificate Vocational, NQF Level 4.

Or

• Higher Certificate in related field, NQF Level 5, 120 Credits.

Or

• Advanced Certificate in related field, NQF Level 6, 120 Credits.

Or

• Diploma in Retail Management, NQF Level 6, 360 Credits.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at Levels 5, 6 and 7 totalling 361 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5, 95 Credits

• Academic Literacy, 6 Credits.
• Business Studies and Management 01, 18 Credits.
• Computer Literacy, 7 Credits.
• Consumer Buying Behaviour 01, 18 Credits.
• Marketing and Brand Management 01, 18 Credits.
• Retail management 01, 12 Credits.
• Trend Analysis 01, 16 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 6, 144 Credits

• Business Finance and Budgeting, 14 Credits.
• Company Law, 14 Credits.
• Consumer Buying Behaviour 02, 18 Credits.
• Economics, 18 Credits.
• Human Resource Management 02, 16 Credits.
• Merchandising, 12 Credits.
• Retail Business Process Management 02, 12 Credits.
• Retail Management 02, 18 Credits.
• Statistics for Business, 12 Credits.
• Trend Analysis 02, 10 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 7, 122 Credits

• Human Resource Management 03, 18 Credits.
• Management Information Systems, 18 Credits.
• Project Management, 12 Credits.
• Research Methods, 12 Credits.
• Research Project, 20 Credits.
• Retail Business Process Management 03, 20 Credits.
• Retail Management 03, 22 Credits.

1. Ability to formulate and implement business strategy to meet specified objectives in a retail business.
2. Analyse and refine business processes in a retail business to improve efficiency.
3. Manage staff in a business environment effectively.
4. Apply project management principles to achieve defined business objectives within a modern business environment.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the research process and the ability to conduct a literature study and produce a basic research proposal.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Demonstrate a deep understanding of retail business success and failure factors.
• Identify and evaluate appropriate strategies and approaches relevant to a retail business.
• Evaluate the potential impact of relevant strategies in the context of a specific retail business to determine the most appropriate and significant solution.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop and deploy a chosen strategy and measure its impact and success.
• Demonstrate the ability to interpret budgets and finances and evaluate the factors that impact on healthy profits and spending in a retail business.
• Demonstrate the ability to identify and contextualise the logistics functions related to a retail operation and provision for its integration into strategic planning.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Identify and examine a range of standard processes in a retail business.
• Evaluate the business processes in a retail business against generally accepted principles of good business practice.
• Demonstrate the ability to draft innovative strategies to improve or refine business process in a retail operation to maximise operational and quality assurance efficiency.
• Examine and define the scope and role of management information systems in a retail organisation.
• Contextualise the impact of relevant company law on the business processes and procedures to make adequate provision for statutory reporting process

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Identify the key factors of South Africa (SA) labour legislation in the workplace.
• Demonstrate the ability to recruit, select and employ staff in a business.
• Demonstrate the ability to manage, lead, train and motivate staff in a business.
• Demonstrate a practical understanding of staff policies and disciplinary procedures in the workplace, and how policies are used to direct staff functions and processes.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Demonstrate a considered and applied understanding of the knowledge areas within the project management discipline.
• Select and apply relevant appropriate project management tools to achieve business objectives in given case studies.
• Contextualise the role and scope of change management in the discipline of project management.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop and implement project plans in a business environment.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Demonstrate a good understanding of the key concepts and principles of research.
• Conduct a literature study using the principles of academic research.
• Produce a research proposal and present the proposal to an audience of peers.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment is conducted in accordance to the institution's Assessment Policy.

Successful learners will have undertaken an extensive process in which assessments progressively build the learners' integrated competency to a point where the learner is able to express - through a range of mechanisms measured against valid, reliable and transparent criteria - that they can operate effectively in an organisation, within the knowledge system specified by the qualification design (full nomenclature).

Formative Assessment aims to support learners to achieve learning objectives and outcomes through regular assessment activities on which they receive feedback to direct their learning approach. Assessment activities are relevant to the module contents and specific learning objectives, and in this context may include a combination of tests, simulations, case studies, projects, tasks, assignments, presentations and group work that will test both their knowledge and ability to apply theory where relevant.

Formative Assessment also serve to prepare them to effectively prepare for examinations (summative) and where possible, combines and overlaps subject content to provide integration of all subject matter across the qualification collectively.