Bachelor of Commerce in Strategic Brand Management

Purpose

The purpose of this programme is to promote access to higher education and to qualify students to follow a career in Strategic Brand Management. This programme will provide learners with the knowledge, skills and applied competencies identified by industry as critical for employees to enter the world of work as brand and business strategists in either the private, the government sector or in Non-Government Organisations. Graduates will be well-prepared for this field with a set of skills which will position them to add value to the organisation that employs them and will be positioned to study further in a related specialisation in support of the principles of life-long learning. The qualification facilitates critical learning through the exposure to and application of specialised learning areas plus relevant support learning areas to enable the learner to manage the versatile and dynamic context of modern commerce. It will also focus on channel planning, which is a combination of the classic disciplines of logistics, new media and media planning.

Rationale

Bachelors' Degrees have the primary purpose of providing "a well-rounded, broad education that equips graduates with the knowledge base, theory and methodology of disciplines, and enables them to demonstrate initiative and responsibility in an academic or professional context. Principles and theory are emphasised as a basis for entry into the labour market, professional training, postgraduate studies, or professional practice in a wide range of careers."

This qualification will provide candidates with a thorough grounding in the key disciplines of business management, brand management, innovation management, financial management and critical thinking. These are the key disciplines that inform the professional practice of strategic business and brand management. Graduates will be able to lead organisations through informed financial decision-making and meaningful business acumen grounded in a deep understanding of holistic brand management. This qualification has been designed to graduate solution-focused, systemic thinkers geared for building businesses and brands in the South African economy. This Degree will also endow the knowledge to nurture a profound understanding of the economies, need profiles and opportunities presented in developing markets with an understanding of relevant technology, communication and culture.

Business managers in the 21st century and "conceptual age" are often ignorant of brand equity intelligence optimisation. Only when business is seen as a translation of a well-crafted brand identity, true business literacy can follow, which includes the ability to design integrative strategies and inform actions, behaviours and decisions geared to sustainable business growth with adherence to healthy brand practice. The success of effective brand and business strategists in organisations contributes directly to its profitability, but also its good corporate social behaviour with a stakeholder-centric approach in truly leading high brand equity organisations. Business managers in the 21st century also are experts in environmental scanning and have the ability to manage change effectively with cognisance to technological advancement and efficient human capital management.

This Degree will qualify people to work in the private and public sectors and aims at providing competent business and brand managers in the private and the public sectors who, by understanding innovative brand building practice in the context of business science and financial management, contribute to the total business and communication endeavour of the organisation. This Degree will also graduate aspirant entrepreneurs as students will gain the knowledge to start their own businesses after graduating. This entrepreneurial mindset is also imperative in leading existing corporate businesses. Graduates will gain a critical understanding of business and finance theory and practice and brand building theory and practice, and will develop the ability to critically analyse and apply this knowledge to benefit the organisation in support of its business objectives in an ethical and socially responsible manner.

The outcomes for this qualification were identified as critical to drive a successful career in business management and will prepare the student to take up positions in the business, brand, marketing, media, finance or communication industry, in management divisions of the public and private sectors and in consultancy, non-government organisations, in government communications and community-based organisations. Graduates will be suitably prepared to demonstrate competencies in brand building, financial, communication and creative roles in business, and to contribute to the economic well-being of their organisation in a responsible manner.

Examples of core career opportunities for graduates exist in/as (mostly geared for blue chip companies)

• Strategic Planner.
• Entrepreneur.
• Business Consultant.
• Account Manager.
• Brand Strategist.
• Brand Manager.
• Brand Auditor.
• Digital Marketing Strategist.
• Marketing Manager.
• Brand contact Planner.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Students can achieve this qualification in part through Recognition of Prior Learning. The IIE RPL Policy (IIE010) and the Academic Credit and Qualification Completion Policy (IIE004) guide this process.

RPL for formal learning (Credit recognition)

Students may apply for credits or exemptions for subjects already passed in-house or at other recognised institutions.

RPL for informal and non-formal learning

Skills, knowledge and experience in respect of competencies acquired through informal and non-formal learning are also assessed in the RPL process.

The IIE RPL Policy and the Academic Credit and Qualification Completion Policy guide the process whereby skills, knowledge and experience in respect of competence acquired through formal and non-formal learning are assessed. All RPL submissions are managed by an academic committee under the supervision of the Academic Manager and Registrar.

Access to the Qualification

Learners must have either of the following as admission requirements

• Senior Certificate granting access to Bachelor Degree Studies.

Or

• National Senior Certificate granting access to Bachelor Degree Studies.

Or

• National Certificate (Vocational) at NQF Level 4.

The Bachelor of Commerce in Strategic Brand Management consists of 32 modules at NQF Level 5, 6 and 7 with one elective at NQF Level 7 totalling 375 Credits.

NQF Level 5 (10 Modules totalling 93 Credits)

• Business Communication and Digital Media 1A, 8 Credits.
• Business Communication and Digital Media 1B, 9 Credits.
• Critical Studies 1A, 6 Credits.
• Critical Studies 1B, 6 Credits.
• Accounting 1A, 12 Credits.
• Accounting 1B, 12 Credits.
• Quantitative Techniques A, 6 Credits.
• Brand and Business Strategy 2A: Organisational Studies, 18 Credits.
• Critical Studies 2A, 6 Credits.
• Finance in Brand Building A, 10 Credits.

NQF Level 6 (13 Modules totalling 155 Credits)

• Critical Studies 2B, 5 Credits.
• Quantitative Techniques B, 6 Credits.
• Principles of Innovation (year module), 10 Credits.
• Practice of Innovation (year module), 10 Credits.
• Business Communication and Digital Media 2, 10 Credits.
• Finance in Brand Building B, 10 Credits.
• Brand and Business Strategy 2B: Developing Markets, 11 Credits.
• Economics 1A: Microeconomics, 12 Credits.
• Economics 1B: Macroeconomics, 12 Credits.
• Consumer Behaviour A, 12 Credits.
• Consumer Behaviour B, 12 Credits.
• Brand and Business Strategy 1: Channel Planning, 20 Credits.
• Strategic Brand Communication 1A, 25 Credits.

NQF Level 7 (Modules totalling 145 Credits)

• Critical Studies 3A, 6 Credits.
• Introduction to Research, 10 Credits.
• Research Practice, 15 Credits.
• Innovation Management (year module), 18 Credits.
• Strategic Brand Auditing (year module), 18 Credits.
• Digital Brand and Business Strategy (year module), 18 Credits.
• Brand and Business Strategy 3B: Entrepreneurship, 18 Credits.
• Economics in Brand Building, 20 Credits.
• Brand and Business Strategy 3A: Brand Strategy Design, 22 Credits.

Electives (select one)

• Brand and Business Strategy 3B: Entrepreneurship, 18 Credits.
• Digital Brand and Business Strategy, 18 Credits.

1. Demonstrate the ability to develop cohesive and innovative brand, business and management strategies.
2. Demonstrate the ability to solve brand building and organisational problems ethically and professionally.
3. Demonstrate the ability to evaluate brand building and management performance based on an appropriate selection of metrics.
4. Demonstrate the ability to conduct a feasibly study and write a business plan for an entrepreneurial venture.
5. Demonstrate a well-grounded understanding of building brands and businesses in developing markets by developing effective, culturally sensitive customer-led strategies.
6. Collaborate and communicate effectively and professionally in an organisational environment.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 1

• Theoretical foundations and principles of best practice in building brand equity are critically examined to create leading organisations.
• Profound understanding of the innovation process is demonstrated by applying design thinking to problem solving.
• Insightful brand equity audit is conducted and viable, meaningful and impactful strategies are crafted to maximise brand equity.
• An avid sense of emotional intelligence is demonstrated via displaying leadership qualities conducive to grow 21st century businesses.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 2

• Knowledge of the major schools of thought that are applied to the study of organisational culture and change in a socio-economic context is displayed.
• The ability to conduct brand health audits on organisations in various industries is demonstrated.
• Strategic direction conducive to integrated triple bottom line maximisation in a professional manner is provided to organisations based on ethical frameworks.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 3

• Appropriate metrics for a multi-disciplinary integrated organisational audit is selected with the focus on brand building and management performance.
• Multi-disciplinary integrated organisational audit with the focus on brand building and management performance is conducted by benchmarking, critically analysing, providing appropriate strategic direction and succinctly reporting on observations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 4

• Good knowledge of the current entrepreneurial state, opportunities, constraints and enablers in South Africa is displayed.
• Detailed knowledge on how various legal forms of businesses could be set up successfully in South Africa is displayed.
• How entrepreneurs in organisations could contribute to lead high equity brands is argued.
• A detailed feasibility study is conducted on a potential high growth business venture (of the students' choice). The feasibility study will also include prototyping. Furthermore, create a well researched and detailed business plan for the entrepreneurial venture initiated.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 5

• A well-grounded, well-argued and critical understanding of the dynamics in building brands and businesses in a developing market based on solid knowledge relevant to the discipline of developmental economics is demonstrated.
• Mastery in the application of recognised consumer behaviour models is displayed in context of developing markets and in particular the South African market.
• Brand building and business strategies are crafted for the South African market by demonstrating a profound understanding of the different cultures and segments of the South African market.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 6

• A high group dynamic intelligence is displayed.
• In context of design thinking the benefits of nurturing pro-active and constructive cross-functional collaborations is critically argued.
• A strong ability to access organisational context, to act and speak accordingly, and to communicate persuasively, respectfully and with clarity of argument is displayed.

Integrated Assessment

Formative assessment

Learning and assessment are integrated. Continual formative assessment is required so that students are given feedback on their progress in the achievement of learning outcomes. The scheme of work includes assignments based on the learning material and students are given feedback. The process is continuous and focuses on smaller sections of the work and limited numbers of outcomes.

Summative assessment

Summative assessment is concerned with the judgement of the learning in relation to the Exit Level Outcomes of the qualification. Such judgement must include integrated assessments which test the student's ability to integrate the larger body of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are represented by the Exit Level Outcomes as a whole. Examinations, projects, reports or equivalent assessments, such as a portfolio of evidence, assess a representative selection of the outcomes practised and assessed. Summative assessment also tests the student's ability to manage and integrate a large body of knowledge to achieve the stated outcomes of a module.

Integrated assessments will be designed to achieve

• An integration of the achievement of Exit Level Outcomes in a way which demonstrates that the purpose of the qualification as a whole has been achieved.
• The evaluation of learner performance which can provide evidence of applied competence.
• Criterion-referenced assessment which is clearly explained to, and understood by, the students and which can be applied in the Recognition of Prior Learning.