Diploma in Operations Management

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to provide learners with a sound knowledge base in the Operations Management discipline and enable them to apply that knowledge, skills and values to make a meaningful contribution to the economy and national development by ensuring optimal utilisation of resources. This qualification combines both work-integrated learning and coursework.

. A qualified learner will be able to plan, organise and control the production, operations and related activities.

The study of Operations Management involves the effective application and management of resources including but not limited to human, capital and material resources. Manufacturing operations are key to the Eastern Cape region and is a major contributor to wealth creation and employment.

The study of Operations Management fills a strategic role in the operational efficiency of manufacturing as well as the service industry. Included in the tasks of operations managers are the essential components of quality enhancement and assurance, supply chain management, increased productivity, cost reduction and flexibility improvements.

Rationale

The need for engineering qualifications in South Africa has been documented by various sources. According to the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), South Africa has an engineer to population ratio of 1:3100 compared to Germany (1:200) and Japan, Great Britain and United States of America (1:310). This implies that the engineering team requirement for South Africa needs to multiply 10-fold to compete with international economies. Industrial Engineering (IE) is one of the younger and faster growing engineering disciplines and one of the 5 largest engineering disciplines in terms of graduate output. It is a field of engineering operating at an integrating level-optimising the productivity of complex man/machine systems and processes, and aiming to make such systems operate better. Industrial engineering is applicable to virtually all industries in the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy.

Scarcity in industrial engineering lies in both the supply and demand for the Profession. The supply of Industrial Engineers has not been able to match the significant demand side growth in roles requiring IE skill-sets. From a demand side perspective, the full spectrum of roles that industrial engineers could perform on complex projects is not yet appreciated. The present average supply of industrial engineers is approximately 200 qualified graduates per annum across all Schools of Industrial Engineering in South Africa. Taking into account that the scarcity stems from both the supply and demand side, it is envisaged that the number of graduates should increase on the mid to long term.

The aim of this qualification is to provide crucial skills and add value to existing industries especially the automotive and related, as well as new business enterprises that are currently preparing themselves for the participation in the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ). There are many new developments planned for the Eastern Cape includes Fuel and Manganese refineries, Marine Engineering, a new Nuclear Power Station at Thyspunt and various renewable energy (Wind and Solar) projects in the Eastern and Northern Cape. These projects will require highly skilled Technicians, Technologists and Engineers for a number of years to come. It is clearly manifested in industry that effective engineering work takes place in teams. These engineering teams are combinations of a variety of disciplines (Civil, Electrical, Mechanical and Industrial). It is accepted practice that there is a large generic component of mathematical, natural and engineering sciences as well as the required complementary studies in the various engineering programmes. Learning outcomes per registration cadre (Professional Engineering Technicians, Technologists and Engineers) is thus generic with the contents for certain modules being discipline specific.

The possible employment positions of individuals with this type of qualification include Production Planners, Operations Managers, Supervisors, a Foreman, Work Study Practitioners, Quality Practitioners and Operations Analysts.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL will be applied in line with Institution's Report of the Admissions Committee (AC): Policy on Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) D/365/08. As the learning programme is Exit-Level Outcome based, whole qualifications will be evaluated for substantial equivalence in terms of documented and verified achievement of specified Exit-Level Outcomes. Part qualifications will be evaluated in terms of substantive equivalence in terms of documented and verified module outcomes and contents. RPL implementation will use a triangulated verification approach using academic records, portfolios and interviews.

Entry Requirements

• Senior Certificate (SC).

Or

• National Senior Certificate (NSC) granting access to Diploma Studies and with appropriate subjects.

Or

• National Certificate Vocational (NCV), Level 4, granting access to Diploma Studies and with appropriate subjects.

This qualification comprises compulsory modules at Level 5, 6 and 7 totalling 360 Credits.

Level 5, 90 Credits

• Engineering Skills 102, 14 Credits.
• Professional Communication Computers 101, 14 Credits.
• Professional Communication Language 101, 14 Credits.
• Operations Engineering 1, 14 Credits.
• Systems Engineering 101, 14 Credits.
• Operations Project 1, 20 Credits.

Level 6, 242 Credits

• Manufacturing Relations 1, 14 Credits.
• Engineering Statistics 1, 14 Credits.
• Operations Management Techniques 2, 14 Credits.
• Operations Engineering 2, 14 Credits.
• Quality 1, 14 Credits.
• Operations Management Techniques 3, 18 Credits.
• Organisational Effectiveness 2, 14 Credits.
• Operations Technology 2, 14 Credits.
• Operations Project 2, 36 Credits.
• Industrial Leadership 3, 18 Credits.
• Service Operations Management 3, 18 Credits.
• Operations Project 3, 36 Credits.
• Global Operations and Supply Chain Management 3, 18 Credits.

Level 7, 28 Credits

• Corporate Citizenship 3, 14 Credits.
• Business Engineering Management 2, 14 Credits.

1. Apply operations principles to systematically diagnose and solve well defined operations management problems.
2. Explain and apply knowledge of key mathematics and analytical techniques to well defined operations and manufacturing related procedures, processes, systems and methodologies to solve well-defined operations related problems.
3. Design systems, processes or methods of well-defined operations related problems involving components, systems, works, products or processes to meet desired needs normally within applicable standard, codes of legislation and practice.
4. Address issues by designing systems and procedures for understanding the operations management impact on society, economy, industrial and physical environment.
5. Appropriate techniques, resources, and modern operations management tools including information technology for the solution of well-defined and lower-level open-ended operations related problems are used, with an awareness of the limitations, restrictions, premises, assumptions and constraints.
6. Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing within an operations management context.
7. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the impact of operations management principles and apply these to one's own work, as a members and members or leaders in a team.
8. Commit to and apply professional ethics, responsibilities and norms of operations managers.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Analyse and define problems and identify criteria for acceptable solutions.
• Identify relevant information and operations knowledge and skills for solving problems.
• Generate and formulate possible approaches that would lead to workable solutions for problems.
• Analyse possible solutions.
• Evaluate possible solutions and select the best solution.
• Formulate and present the solution in an appropriate form.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Bring to bear an appropriate mix of knowledge of basic mathematics, numerical analysis, statistics, at a fundamental level on the solution of well-defined operations related problems.
• Use theories, principles and laws.
• Perform formal analysis on materials, components, systems or processes.
• Communicate concepts, ideas and theories.
• Perform reasoning about and conceptualising of systems or processes.
• Identify and make recommendations regarding uncertainty and risk.
• Perform work within the boundaries of the practice area.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Formulate well-defined operations related problems to satisfy user needs, applicable standards, codes of practice and legislation.
• Plan and manage processes to focus on important issues and recognise and deals with constraints.
• Acquire and evaluate knowledge, information and resources in order to apply appropriate principles and tools to provide a workable solution.
• Perform and evaluate tasks including analysis, optimisation of the product, system or process subject to the relevant constraints and restrictions.
• Evaluate alternatives for implementation and select a preferred solution is s based on techno-economic analysis and judgement.
• Communicate relevant information in a technical report.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Plan and conduct basic impact investigations and experiments within an appropriate discipline.
• Search available literature and evaluate material for suitability to the investigation.
• Select and use impact assessment equipment or software as appropriate in the investigations.
• Analyse, interpret and derive information from available data.
• Draw conclusions from an analysis of all available evidence.
• Assess selected system or method to address the well-defined impact of the operations related problems in terms of the social, economic, legal, health, safety, and environmental impact and benefits.
• Record the purpose, process and outcomes of the impact investigation in a technical report.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Assess the method, skill or tool for applicability and limitations against the required result.
• Apply the method, skill or tool effectively to achieve the required result.
• Test and assess results produced by the method, skill or tool against required results.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Use appropriate structure, style and language of written and oral communication for the purpose of the communication and the target audience.
• Use appropriate graphics to be effective in enhancing the meaning of text.
• Use visual materials to enhance oral communications.
• Use accepted methods for providing information to others involved in the operations management activity.
• Deliver oral communication fluently with the intended meaning being apparent.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Explain the principles of supervision and planning, organising, leading and controlling.
• Carry out individual work effectively, strategically and on time.
• Contributions to team activities support the output of the team as a whole.
• Demonstrate functioning as a team leader.
• Organise and manage a team project.
• Carry out effective communication in the context of individual and team work.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• Describe the nature and complexity of ethical dilemmas.
• Describe the ethical implications of decisions made.
• Apply ethical reasoning to evaluate operations related solutions.
• Accept responsibility for consequences stemming from own actions.
• Make judgements in decision making during problem solving and design.
• Limit decision making to area of current competence.

Integrated Assessment

The industrial Operations Project with comprehensively detailed criteria will provide the opportunity for comprehensive integrative assessment covering the complete spectrum of the learning achieved.

Both formative and summative assessment processes throughout the duration of the industrial Operations Project completion will provide an opportunity for the learners to validate that they are able to integrate concepts, ideas and actions across the learning programme to achieve the required competence in order to meet the purpose of the learning programme. The assessment tools will critically evaluate the candidate's knowledge, critical thinking, and evaluation prowess as well as communication and presentation skills.

Formative and summative assessments will include inter alia

Formative Assessment

• Individual and collaborative group tutorials with memoranda and direct lecturer and/or tutor formative feedback.
• Individual and collaborative Assignments/Projects with direct discussions providing formative feedback.
• Class tests with direct formative feedback via memoranda and discussions.
• Computer based simulations.
• Computer based interactive feedback using clicker based systems/Moodle.

Summative assessment

• Closed and/or open book tests including scoring and feedback.
• Individual projects and assignments including feedback via assessment rubrics and scoring.
• Group projects and assignments including scoring and feedback via assessment rubrics.
• Individual Presentations including feedback via assessment rubrics, lecturer and peer scoring.
• Closed or open book examinations.