Doctor of Management

Purpose

The purpose of the qualification is to enable learners to develop in-depth, advanced discipline-specific skills and applied competence in management to provide opportunities for continued personal intellectual growth, productive economic activity and making a rewarding contribution to society.

Also, the qualification aims to empower learners to solve complex business-related problems in a focused way and to effectively manage and allocate resources, to communicate effectively, and to contribute to knowledge and socio-economic transformation responsibly and ethically.

The qualification endeavours to provide South Africa with highly skilled individuals particularly from disadvantaged communities in business administration, to ensure that the leadership base of innovative and knowledge-based economic and scholarly activity is strengthened and diversified.

Qualification outcomes: The qualifying learner will

• Independently design a research project and execute such a plan.
• Apply advanced scientific methods responsibly.
• Efficiently manage the collection, organisation and analysis of relevant information.
• Analyse theory and practical problems to contribute to the existing body of knowledge related to a specific aspect of management.
• Contribute to the development of new theories, models and practices.
• Conduct further academic research independently to contribute to local research output.
• Write and present technical reports to professional audiences, including the management environment.

Rationale

The qualification provides the opportunity for a learner to undertake independent research and advanced study under the guidance of a supervisor, building on knowledge gained in a particular subject area, generally at Masters or equivalent level. The thesis presented will constitute a substantial contribution to experience in the chosen field of study and will embody the original work of the learner.

The qualification will provide South Africa with researchers that have specialised theoretical knowledge and practical skill in a research area from which the institution can research the highest level, thereby contributing to the national development agenda.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution's RPL Policy makes provision for the application of RPL for access, as well as exemption.

ACCESS

The National Policy states that qualifications registered on the NQF must provide alternative entry requirements so that candidates can be admitted to the qualification. It is therefore possible to admit an applicant who has not achieved a Master's Degree, but who has extensive evidence of formal research conducted at the cognitive level required. Although the institution is able to provide for alternative entry routes, RPL for access will only be applied in highly exceptional circumstances. This view is based on:

• The specialist knowledge and the intensive research required for doctoral studies;
• The necessary foundational and advanced competencies that need to be in place to ensure learner success (given the stated rationale for both doctoral qualifications namely, to '[build] on knowledge gained in a particular subject area at masters level').

EXEMPTION

The Institution recognises that there may be exemption opportunities on the different phases of the qualification.

To optimally support learners, both doctoral qualifications are divided into three phases - the initial proposal, the proposal and the thesis/candidacy phase. RPL may be applied to the pre-proposal and proposal phases - for instance:

• Qualifying learners (who meet the stated entry requirements) who have done substantial documented pre-proposal research can gain access to the proposal phase;
• Learners transfer from other institutions with a completed proposal can enter the proposal phase directly; and/or
• Learners with completed doctoral qualifications decide to pursue a second doctorate can proceed to the proposal phase directly.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Master of Administration in Public Management, NQF Level 9.

Or

• Master of Commerce in Investment Management, NQF Level 9.

Or

• Master of Commerce in Business Management, NQF Level 9.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory module at Level 10 totalling 360 Credits.

Compulsory Module

• Thesis, 360 Credits.

1. Independently design a research project and execute such a project.
2. Apply advanced scientific methods responsibly.
3. Efficiently manage the collection, organisation and analysis of relevant information.
4. Analyse theory and practical problems to contribute to the existing body of knowledge related to a specific aspect of management.
5. Contribute to the development of new theories, models and practices.
6. Conduct further academic research independently to contribute to local research output.
7. Write and present technical reports to professional audiences, including the management and safety and security environment.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Conceptualise new research initiatives.
• Identify, address and manage emerging ethical issues.
• Demonstrate intellectual independence, research leadership, management of research and research development in management.
• Operate independently and taking full responsibility for work.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Develop new methods, techniques, processes and systems in original, creative, innovative and sophisticated contexts.
• Apply specialist knowledge and theory in critically thoughtful ways to address complex theoretical problems.
• Implement advanced processes of ethical decision-making.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Make independent judgements about managing incomplete or inconsistent information or data in an iterative process of analysis and synthesis.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4.

• Produce substantial, independent, in-depth and publishable work which meets international standards.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5.

• Create new knowledge or practice.
• Contribute to scholarly debates around theories of knowledge.
• Contribute to knowledge production in Management.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Produce substantial, independent, in-depth and publishable work which meets international standards.
• Design, sustain and manage change within a system or systems independently.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Produce relevant work which meets the needs of management and safety and security professionals.

Integrated Assessment

The qualification consists of research by thesis only. The qualification has three (3) phases of assessment as set out below:

PHASE 1: PROPOSAL

Assessments

Assignment 1: Submission of proposal.

Assignment 2: Defence of proposal.

Assignment 1 requires the submission of a full proposal within the first year of enrolment. The proposal has to contain at least the following components:

1. Chapter 1: Introduction and background (approximately 10 pages).
2. Chapter 2: Literature review (approximately 15 pages).
3. Chapter 3: Research methodology (approximately 10 pages).

The proposal will make a substantial contribution to the thesis and demonstrates the learner's initial competency in the particular area of research, as well as the selection of a particular research methodology.

If the proposal is accepted the learner is required to defend the proposal as part of Assignment 2 in front of a panel appointed by the Doctoral Research Committee.

PHASE 2: COMPLETION OF THE RESEARCH AND THESIS

Assignment 3: Completion of thesis.

Assignment 4: Presentation to panel.

The thesis, as Assignment 3, is completed under the guidance of a supervisor.

PHASE 3: EXAMINATION OF THE THESIS

Handing in the thesis

A learner can hand in the thesis at any time, but the supervisor has to sign off. The marking process for the thesis will start immediately and feedback will be provided with feedback as soon as possible.

Marking and final submission

Once the thesis has been submitted (three ring-bound copies) with permission from the supervisor, it is sent for external examination. After examination, some learners may then still need to make corrections for the thesis to be of the required standard for submission of the three leather-bound copies to the Learning Resources Centre/Library. Learners who require extensions on the thesis may do so in terms of the extension rules and subject to the exclusion provisions.

Marking, presentation and results

The Doctoral Research Committee will manage the marking process and will appoint two external examiners to mark the thesis. Should the external markers and the Committee be of the opinion that the thesis is not up to standard, it will be referred back to the learner to address the shortcomings. Supervisors are not allowed to be part of the Committee for the purpose of considering and discussing the submission of a particular learner.

Once the thesis has been accepted the learner will be requested to present and defend the research, as Assignment 4, in front of a panel appointed by the Doctoral Research Committee. The supervisor of the particular learner may not be a member of the panel. Upon passing the panel presentation, the learner will be notified of the outcome. Should the learner fail, another presentation has to be scheduled at a later date.

Work-integrated learning does not form part of the qualification.