Diploma in Business Management

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to equip learners with the necessary knowledge, skills and attributes required of a business manager, which includes a balanced combination of strategic management, administrative management, business communication, business marketing, bookkeeping and accounting, entrepreneurship and information systems.

The competencies captured in this qualification will provide the learner with a wide range of career options, such as

• Administration management.
• Credit/debtors control.
• Finance.
• Marketing.

Learners successfully mastering the competencies in this qualification will be able to contribute to the broader society by providing sound business management skills in both a formal and an entrepreneurial environment.

The qualifying learner will

• Have an understanding of business management in a South African context.
• Be able to generate a strategic plan for an organisation or new business enterprise using analytical tools and processes.
• Have an understanding of the challenges regarding business management in a culturally diverse society.
• Be able to apply appropriate and effective communication skills in a business management environment.
• Be able to manage the information needs of the organisation so that timely, relevant and accurate information is available at all levels to make meaningful business decisions.
• Be able to apply bookkeeping and accounting systems and processes in an organisation or business enterprise.

Rationale

This qualification meets the needs of the sector by capacitating learners with a range of relevant skills and experience, through work-based learning, to enter the business management field. The qualification opens up opportunities for the individual to productively apply acquired business aptitudes within existing organisations or to the start of new ventures.

The typical learners attempting this qualification would migrate from the schooling system with the necessary admission requirements, and/or would already be active in the workplace. This qualification will allow the learner access to further learning in the same or a related field.

This qualification achieves the objectives of the NQF by facilitating access to and mobility and progression within education, enhancing the quality of education, accelerating the redress of past unfair and contributing to the full personal development of each learner and the social and economic development of the nation at large.

Learning Assumed To Be In Place

It is assumed that the learner has the following knowledge and skills

• Communication in the language of learning and teaching of the institution at NQF Level 4.
• Mathematical Literacy at NQF Level 4.
• Computer Literacy at NQF Level 3.

Recognition of Prior Learning

This qualification may be achieved in part or completely through the Recognition of Prior Learning, which includes formal, informal and non-formal learning and work experience. Care will be taken that the mechanism used provides the learner with an opportunity to demonstrate competence and is not so onerous as to prevent learners from taking up the Recognition of Prior Learning option towards gaining the qualification.

Recognition of Prior Learning will be done by means of Integrated Assessment.

Recognition Prior Learning may also be used to grant admission to a learner who does not meet the minimum admission criteria.

Access to the Qualification

There is an open access to this qualification for learners who have

• Successfully completed the National Senior Certificate granting admission to diploma study.

OR

• Successfully completed the National Certificate: Vocational, NQF Level 4 granting admission to diploma study.

OR

• Successfully completed a related qualification at NQF Level 5.

To be awarded the qualification learners are required to obtain a minimum of 365 credits, as detailed below.

All the modules are compulsory.

Modules at NQF Level 5 (120 credits)

• Business Communication 122, 15 Credits.
• Information Administration Systems 122, 25 Credits.
• Business Management 112, 15 Credits.
• Entrepreneurship 112, 15 Credits.
• Administrative Management 113, 30 Credits.
• Bookkeeping and Accounting 122, 20 Credits.

Modules at NQF Level 6 (185 credits)

• Entrepreneurship 212, 15 Credits.
• Information Administration Systems 221, 10 Credits.
• Administrative Management 212, 20 Credits.
• Organisational Behaviour 21, 15 Credits.
• Business Marketing 212, 20 Credits.
• Strategic Management 212, 20 Credits.
• Bookkeeping and Accounting 222, 20 Credits.
• Business Legal Practice 313, 25 Credits.
• Industry Experience 323, 40 Credits.

Modules at NQF Level 7 (60 credits)

• Information Administration Systems 322, 15 Credits.
• Strategic Management 312, 15 Credits.
• Consumer Behaviour 312, 15 Credits.
• Bookkeeping and Accounting 322, 15 Credits.

1. Demonstrate an understanding of business management in a South African context.
2. Generate a strategic plan for an organisation or new business enterprise using analytical tools and processes.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the challenges regarding business management in a culturally diverse society.
4. Apply appropriate and effective communication skills in a business management environment.
5. Manage the information needs of the organisation so that timely, relevant and accurate information is available at all levels to make meaningful business decisions.
6. Apply bookkeeping and accounting systems and processes in an organisation or business enterprise.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

This qualification develops all the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

1.1 The basic principles, concepts, theories and best practices of business management are explained within a South African context.

1.2 Contemporary management approaches and challenges are analysed both within South African and international contexts.

1.3 The nature of functional management in co-ordinating the various activities designed to achieve predetermined goals is analysed within a business environment.

1.4 The added value of sound business practices in a free-market economy is analysed.

1.5 The basic principles, concepts and theories of marketing are explained within a business management context.

1.6 Relevant South African legislation and legal practices pertaining to the business environment are analysed in order to determine the role of the management function in ensuring compliance therewith.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

2.1 The basic principles, ethics, concepts and theories of strategic management are analysed within the business context.

2.2 An environmental analysis is conducted in order to determine strategic positioning of an organisation both locally and internationally.

2.3 Strategic business goals and strategies are formulated based on the environmental analysis.

2.4 A functional business plan is generated, which is derived from the strategic business goals and strategy.

2.5 The role of a business plan as a management tool to ensure success and sustainable growth is analysed within the business context.

2.6 The interplay between different components of a functional business plan are analysed from a management perspective.

2.7 The basic principles, concepts and theories of entrepreneurship are applied in order to determine new business opportunities.

2.8 The processes of starting a new venture within a South African context are analysed for incorporation in a strategic plan.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

3.1 Working with others, teamwork and group dynamics are analysed within a business management context.

3.2 Theories and approaches to leadership and organisations are analysed within a business management context.

3.3 Cultural diversity in the workplace is analysed within a business management context.

3.4 Organisational structure and culture are analysed within a business management context.

3.5 Ethics are analysed within a business management context.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

4.1 The requirements of appropriate, effective and efficient communication are explained and applied in various business contexts.

4.2 Information technology as a communication tool is used appropriate to the environment and context of the business.

4.3 The dynamics, processes and features of group communication are analysed in various business contexts.

4.4 Presentations are conducted in various business contexts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

5.1 Information on contemporary business management is obtained for analytical purposes.

5.2 Available information systems are analysed for appropriateness.

5.3 The management information system within an organisation is analysed in order to determine its effectiveness regarding problem solving and decision making.

5.4 An information system for an organisation is developed which supports and improves office administration, procedure, productivity and workflow.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

6.1 The basic concepts and principals of financial accounting are applied.

> Range: Sales, credit purchase, adjustments of the income and expense accounts and payment and receipt transactions.

6.2 The financial year-end procedures are performed for a business entity.

6.3 Financial statements are analysed using ratio analysis.

6.4 Appropriate financial software is used in a business context.

Integrated Assessment

Formative assessment will be applied continually throughout the learning pathway of the individual learning outcomes and/or modules. Summative assessment will be applied to ensure the achievement of each learning outcome and/or module. Integrated assessment will be applied extensively across the modules of learning so as to ensure the integrated achievement of the Exit-Level Outcomes.