Diploma: Retail Management

Purpose

The purpose of the qualification is closely tied to the rationale for the programme and it serves to instil and then broaden students' retail management knowledge, the application thereof. The qualification provides qualifying students with a broad-based knowledge of the principles, major theories and thought schools, methods and technology of the science and profession of the field and equips them to co-ordinate and contribute to the management of the core retail management functions in line with best practice and quality standards. This qualification lays a foundation for higher career advancement and further studies in the field of retail management.

The modules are specifically selected to ensure that students gain a basic understanding of the underlying retail management issues and principles in their first year; slightly more advanced knowledge combined with elementary practical application in the second year; and conclude with practical application of retail management theory in the third year where an applications approach is integrated in the curriculum. The third year modules are designed to equip students with the skills and abilities to not only understand marketing theory but also to apply it in a real world context.

Rationale

The rationale for the qualification is to provide specialised training and scholarship in the field of retail management to equip students to be able to give direction and guidance to a business in all areas of retailing. The practical nature of this qualification enables students to be in a position to apply what they have learnt from the onset.

The retail industry provides many employment opportunities in a global as well as a South African context ranging from cashier positions through merchandisers to retail managers, to name but a few. This qualification aims to empower students by providing them with the skills necessary to manage a retail business and more specifically with the retail marketing skills necessary to successfully market a retail operation. Contemporary retail issues such as globalisation, Africanisation, branding, ethics and technology are incorporated into the qualification along with practical applications in order to produce capable and well-rounded retail managers.

Candidates accessing this qualification should also

• Be able to read and critically evaluate academic text in English and communicate information and their own ideas orally and in written text that is grammatically correct, well structured, clear and concise, using accepted standards of scientific and academic writing (NQF Level 5).
• Be able to independently and responsibly plan, schedule and take responsibility for the success of their learning in a structured and open distance learning (ODL) tuition environment and appropriately manage their time according to required outcomes.
• Be able to use technology to such an extent that they can access and participate in the various online activities and also use the library and other electronic services in support of the learning (myUnisa) and any other additional resources related to the qualification modules.
• Have access to the South African media.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning will be applied in line with the regulations of the Quality Council for Higher Education and the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and the procedures of the University of South Africa.

Access to the Qualification

The minimum admission requirement is

A National Senior Certificate granting access to a Diploma study or an Advanced Certificate or a Diploma in a cognate field.

All the modules are compulsory and have 12 credits each.

Total credits: 360.

NQF Level 5 modules

• Personal selling (NQF Level 5).
• Customer service (NQF Level 5).
• Introduction to marketing (NQF Level 5).
• Merchandising (NQF Level 5).
• Introduction to Marketing communication (NQF Level 5).
• Business management (NQF Level 5).
• Introduction to financial accounting (NQF Level 5).
• Practising Workplace English (NQF Level 5).
• Introduction to retailing (NQF Level 5).
• Introduction to Consumer Behaviour (NQF Level 5).

NQF Level 6 modules

• Business management (NQF Level 6).
• Salesmanship (NQF Level 6), Introduction to marketing or Personal selling.
• Consumer behaviour (NQF Level 6), Introduction to marketing or Introduction to consumer behaviour.
• Advertising and Sales promotion (NQF Level 6), Introduction to marketing or Personal Selling or Introduction to marketing communication.
• E-commerce in business (NQF Level 6), Introduction to marketing.
• Introduction to Entrepreneurship (NQF Level 6).
• Finance for non-financial managers (NQF Level 6).
• Public relations (NQF Level 6), Introduction to marketing or Introduction to marketing communication.
• Marketing Management (NQF Level 6), Introduction to marketing.
• Business to business marketing (NQF Level 6), Introduction to marketing.
• Retail buying (NQF Level 6).
• Retail planning and operations (NQF Level 6).
• Branding (NQF Level 6), Introduction to marketing or introduction to marketing communication.
• Supply Chain Management (NQF Level 6).
• General management (NQF Level 6).

NQF Level 7 modules

• Retail applications (NQF Level 7), Marketing management.
• Retail project (NQF Level 7), Marketing management.
• Retail management (NQF Level 7), Marketing management.
• Sales management (NQF Level 7), Salesmanship.
• Marketing research (NQF Level 7), Marketing management.

1. Interpret economic realities within South African organisational contexts.
2. Gather and manage retail management information appropriately.
3. Apply retail marketing knowledge and general business principles to real life situations taking into account societal, ethical and cultural considerations.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

This qualification promotes, in particular, the following Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

• Organise and manage themselves and their own activities responsibly and effectively, develop their own learning strategies which sustain independent learning and academic or continued professional development and interact effectively within the learning or professional group as a means of enhancing learning.
• Communicate effectively using visual and/or language skills in the mode of written presentations. This includes researching, reviewing, evaluating, producing and communicating information in specialised contexts in order to develop creative responses and insights, rigorous interpretations and solutions to problems and issues appropriate to the context.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem solving contexts do not exist in isolation. This includes operating effectively within a system, or managing the system based on an understanding of the roles and relationships between elements of the system.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Demonstrate basic understanding of the functioning of business and the role of retail management within the retail organisation.
• Demonstrate an understanding of how retail management affects society and business.
• Interpret specific current economic events.
• Apply retail management principles to real life situations in an organisational context.
• Compare current contexts with past and potential future contexts.
• Relate learning gained from individual experience to knowledge encountered in an academic environment and vice versa.
• Relate learning from experience and academic contexts to different contexts using present and future scenarios.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Collect, collate, and distribute information related to retail management problems or opportunities.
• Identify and select information specifically relevant to retail management.
• Interpret and analyse information specifically relevant to retail management.
• Use technology in appropriate contexts to access, process, and store or distribute information.
• Analyse the impact of technology on retail management.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Analyse real life situations to identify strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats.
• Select correct strategies and/or procedures to solve specific retail problems.
• Apply appropriate retail management principles to situations, whether in real life or simulated scenarios/case studies.
• Evaluate results of application of retail management strategies.
• Discuss and present information in appropriate ways (numerically, verbally, graphically, etc).

Integrated Assessment

For the qualification to be awarded, a candidate must have successfully achieved the outcomes of each of the compulsory/core and elective modules that constitute the qualification.

Evidence of learning competency (knowledge, skills, attitudes and expertise) and of the candidate's ability to achieve the purpose of the qualification as a whole at the time that the qualification is awarded, is required by means of comprehensive and integrated assessment (constituting a range of formative and summative assessments). Continuous formative and summative assessment methods are used in the form of written assignments and exams, and the supervision of a research project.

Formative and summative assessment will be conducted within the guidelines of the Unisa Assessment Policy. The student's summative assessment mark will comprise a year mark (10%) that will be gained from the specified number of compulsory assignments and a written examination in each module which comprises 90% of the total summative assessment mark. The pass mark shall be a minimum of 50% acquired from both continuous and summative assessment in a proportionate ratio; 75% shall constitute a pass with distinction.

Assessors should assess and give credit for evidence of learning that has already been acquired through formal, informal and non-formal learning and experience.

Lecturers responsible for the module and external markers (assessors) will act as assessor practitioners in accordance with the Unisa Assessment Policy. Formative and summative assessment will be conducted within the guidelines of the Unisa Assessment Policy. Student support will be provided in accordance with Unisa ODL and Learner Support policies and guidelines.