Diploma in Commerce in Marketing Management

Purpose

Designed as a replacement for the existing Diploma in Marketing Management and as an HEQF-aligned qualification, this qualification includes a dual major in marketing and management. These tracks are adequately supported by key skills identified as critical for this discipline to ensure a well-balanced programme which will provide students the required skills and knowledge to pursue a career in marketing management. The graduate will be able to assess marketing environments, develop appropriate strategies and manage the implementation of such strategies. Provision of skills in this area contributes to national development goals with a strong focus on the application of marketing skills needed in a dynamic, technology driven business world, which will improve the employability prospects of graduates.

The Diploma in Commerce in Marketing Management jointly develops marketing and management skill tracks and includes appropriate knowledge elements that are required by industry to provide the full spectrum of skills and knowledge for successful management of marketing-related projects in an organisation.

The curriculum will contribute to the achievement of the intended outcomes by introducing students to the fundamental components of the discipline and then logically progressing to cover the more complex elements over the duration of the course, to ensure progression and to facilitate the learning process.

In further support of the main knowledge tracks, modules such as Economics, Introduction to Statistics and Marketing Research aim to assist the learner in the holistic understanding and mastering of marketing practices in the context of a variety of variable internal and external factors in the business environment and as such provide a balanced business perspective to provide the background against which the graduate will function in the world of work.

The work integrated learning activities ensure that all the key elements in the qualification are linked together by requiring the incorporation of various elements of the qualification to successfully complete projects.

Rationale

The purpose of the Diploma is to develop graduates who can demonstrate focused knowledge and skills in marketing management. Learners will develop depth and specialisation of knowledge, together with practical skills through work integrated learning, to enable graduates to apply their learning in the workplace.

The IIE has a three year NQF5 Diploma in Marketing Management which is not HEQF aligned and requires refocusing in terms of current marketing management developments. This is an application for a 3 year HEQF 6 Diploma in Commerce in Marketing Management to replace the existing qualification.

Marketing is an essential and key business discipline necessary for the success of any organisation, both strategically and operationally. This qualification therefore reflects the needs of the marketing and business sector. This demand is also reflected in the number of enrolments in The IIE's existing Diploma in Marketing Management, with almost 400 students in 2009 in this programme. This new qualification considers changes in marketing approaches in the new technology driven economy and incorporates modern strategies to ensure that students are well equipped to enter the dynamic, competitive world of marketing, to further improve employability prospects.

The specific combination of key skills in this programme identified by industry as critical for a qualification of this nature aims to prepare learners to take up appropriate positions with confidence and will enable them to effectively contribute to the growth of their business. The programme focuses on both marketing and business management, but includes important business related modules to ensure a balanced perspective of modern corporate business to inform the environment within which the graduates must operate and to ensure a well-rounded qualification.

This Diploma will help address the national skills shortage and graduates will be prepared to take up positions in/as

• Promotions Manager
• Marketing Administrator
• Sales and advertising manager
• Marketing Manager
• Market Researcher

It is assumed that the learners are competent in the language of instruction (English at NQF Level 4) and the general theoretical and practical knowledge and understanding accomplished at that level.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Learners can achieve this qualification in part or in whole through Recognition of Prior Learning. The IIE Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and the IIE Academic Credit Policy guide this process.

Access to the Qualification

Access will be open to learners with

• A National Senior Certificate with English and a "D" rating.

OR

• A Senior Certificate completed prior to 2008.

OR

• A Higher Certificate or Advanced Certificate in a cognate area.

Learners who do not meet the minimum admission requirements can apply for admission through the Recognition of Prior Learning.

All the modules (totalling 368 credits) in the Diploma in Commerce in Marketing Management are compulsory.

Compulsory Modules at NQF Level 5 (118 credits)

• Business Calculations, 10 credits.
• Accounting 1A, 15 credits.
• Introduction to personal computing, 5 credits.
• Marketing 1A, 12 credits.
• Business Management 1A, 11 credits.
• Business Communication, 10 credits.
• Accounting 1B, 15 credits.
• Employment Practices, 8 credits.
• Marketing 1B, 12 credits.
• Business Management 1B, 11 credits.
• Introduction to Project Management, 9 credits.

Compulsory Modules at NQF Level 6 (159 credits)

• Business Management 2A, 18 credits.
• Marketing 2A, 15 credits.
• Economics A, 10 credits.
• Advanced Spreadsheets Projects, 8 credits.
• Intro to Statistics, 15 credits.
• Economics B, 10 credits.
• Marketing 2B, 15 credits.
• Work Integrate Learning (year module), 20 credits.
• Business Management 2B, 18 credits.
• Commercial Law, 10 credits.
• Marketing research practice, 20 credits.

Compulsory Modules at Level 7 (91 credits)

• Business Management 3A, 18 credits.
• Work Integrated Learning (year module), 15 credits.
• Marketing 3A, 20 credits.
• Marketing 3B, 20 credits.
• Business Management 3B, 18 credits.

1. Communicate effectively and professionally in a business environment, displaying the skills needed to present and communicate information reliably and appropriately.
2. Select and use technologies relevant to the business environment.
3. Demonstrate applied competence in assessing and evaluating business opportunities against the economic environment and other relevant factors to inform business decisions and strategic planning
4. Display a sound awareness of ethics and an understanding of the legal framework within which managers operate.
5. Demonstrate an applied knowledge of the concepts, theories and principles of marketing as one of the business management functions.
6. Analyse, interpret and present information to stakeholders.
7. Develop and implement strategic and financially feasible marketing plans
8. Evaluate and devise strategies utilising the concepts, principles, and theories of marketing management and marketing communication as they pertain to the marketing environment and to achieve marketing objectives.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Effectively and professionally communicate information in a reliable and coherent format in a business environment using professional business communication discourse and formats.
• Use verbal and non-verbal means to communicate effectively
• Apply the principles of conflict management to a given situation
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively in a multi-cultural context

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Use appropriate technologies relevant to the business environment
• A worksheet using a spreadsheet is created, modified and formatted using the appropriate tools and features.
• Creation of electronic presentations using suitable software is demonstrated.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Interpret and apply demand and supply elasticity and applications.
• Assess, identify and understand perfect competition and monopolies.
• Demonstrate knowledge of economic equilibrium, aggregates and economic performance indicators.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Explain the concepts and principles of Commercial Law the business and marketing environment
• Determine requirements to ensure compliance with relevant business legislation.
• An ability to apply appropriate ethical values and approaches to the marketing environment is demonstrated

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Create strategies and solutions to solve simulated and real problems in the organisation
• Choose appropriate procedures and problem-solving strategies within the marketing context
• Use acquired business knowledge and skills to solve problems as presented in a simulated or workplace business context

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Use research techniques to collect data, analyse data, interpret the data and present results all stakeholders
• Conduct a marketing, competitor and consumer analysis to given briefs.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Apply marketing theories and principles in order to create a marketing plan.
• Apply the functions associated with strategic marketing, consumer behaviour and marketing research in the commercial sector.
• Conduct a marketing, competitor and consumer analysis to given briefs.
• Explain the relationships in statistical numbers/values used for the purpose of representing patterns.
• Apply fundamental calculations to numerical information.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• Apply marketing theories and principles in order to create a marketing plan.
• Apply the functions associated with strategic marketing, consumer behaviour and marketing research in the commercial sector.
• Conduct a marketing, competitor and consumer analysis to given briefs.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop and administer a marketing project.

Formative Assessment

Learning and assessment is integrated. Continual formative assessment gives learners feedback on their progress in the achievement of learning outcomes.

Summative Assessment

Summative assessment is concerned with the judgement of the learning in relation to the Exit Level Outcomes of the qualification and includes integrated assessments, examinations, projects, laboratory reports and equivalent assessments such as portfolios of evidence.