Master of Commerce in Business Administration

The qualified learner will be competent to manage an organisation on executive level.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The qualification will be awarded to a learner who has provided evidence that the stated competence of the qualification has been achieved through experience that complies with the stated specified outcomes.

Access can be gained through RPL by learners who do not meet the minimum entry requirements.

Entry Requirements

At least 480 Credits on Level 7.

Qualification

• Bachelor of Technology (B Tech) Business Administration, Level 7, or equivalent.
• Bachelor of Administration Honours, Level 8.
• 3 years relevant working experience.

The qualifying learner should have the competence to

1. Manage organisations constructively and interactively based on strategic objectives.
2. Carry out a research project.

The qualifying learner should provide evidence of his/her abilities, depending on his/her field of specialisation through:

1.1. Value chains of organisations indicating interactive primary and supportive activities incurring costs and tying up time.

• Determining competitive activities/companies to serve as data sources.
• Executing survey techniques that can be used for data collection to determine best practices.
• Using quantitative and qualitative techniques to gather information on customer values.
• Value chains indicating activities to be upgraded/replaced, extend of modifications and how upgrading should take place.
• Evaluation indicating major driving forces, impact areas in organisations and consequences of impacts.
• Analysis indicating for example critical success factors, most important competitors and current versus future strategic positions.

1.2. Diagnosing, analysing and interpreting problems accurately within the Organisational Behaviour context.

• Findings that are coherently and clearly presented in oral and written format.
• Utilising appropriate information technology in presenting findings to client.
• Solving problems through successful implementation of interventions.

1.3. Demonstrating use of research methodology through Research proposal.

• The final project is seen to be creatively, academically and technically sound and potentially to be of interest to the business administration discipline.

1.4. Applying idea generation techniques.

• Evaluating business enterprises.
• Screening of business opportunities.
• Developing and applying the business plan.

1.5. Analysing and interpreting cases accurately within the commercial law context.

1.6. Collecting, analysing and interpreting quantitative data, provide descriptive statistics and present data in suitable form.

• Explaining basic probability and decision theory and conduct simple probability calculations.
• Estimating from samples.
• Testing hypothesis.
• Carrying out simple regression and correlation analysis.
• Explaining time-series analysis and other forecasting techniques.
• Exercising stock/inventory control.
• Solving simple linear programming problems graphically.
• Explaining the strengths and limitations of management science/quantitative techniques.

1.7. Correct analysing and interpretation of the nature of the foreign exchange market.

• Correctly calculating the effect of foreign exchange changes.
• Correctly forecasting spot exchange rates.
• Correctly administrating working capital and cash flows in a multinational enterprise.
• Explaining and discussing the theories of exchange rate determination.

1.8. Correctly describing the functions and forms of the international capital market.

• Discussing the international bond and equity markets.
• Evaluating the implications for business of raising money on the international capital market.
• Considering international financing options for u multinational enterprise.
• Showing how differences in national accounting systems cause difficulties for international business.
• Explaining the operation of a "option contract".
• Explaining and illustrating the use of a letter of credit.

1.9. Evaluating major driving forces on proposed projects, impact areas and consequences of impacts.

• Defining clear, concise project objectives to bring about required changes.
• Evaluating the gap between current and future organisation structures, implications on workforce and understanding the stepwise progress from one extreme (functional) to other extreme (projectised).
• Project proposal clearly indicating why projects should be executed.
• Project and facilitating plans with the necessary emphasis on activity definition, activity sequencing, activity duration estimation, resource planning, cost estimating, cost budgeting and schedule development.
• Project and facilitating plans with the necessary emphasis on activity definition, estimation, resource planning, cost estimating, cost budgeting, and schedule development.
• Clear indication of inputs and outputs required for tasks on work breakdown structure.
• Timeously reacting on the release of figures indicating variations between planned and actual steps/figures/inputs/outputs.

1.10. Evaluation indicating major IT driving forces, impact areas in organisations and consequences of impacts.

• Analysis indicating for example critical success factors, dominant competitors, best practices and current versus future IT strategic positioning.
• Appropriate generic/master It strategies that can be executed.
• Interlinked IT strategic objectives.
• Performance indicators to be used.
• Integrated strategic plans for divisions.
• Supportive projects, programmes to bring about required changes.
• Evaluation of strategic/business plan links and required structures, systems, organisation cultures and rewards.
• Structured alignment of plans - focusing on strategic focus, target markets, resources, target dates and time.
• Evaluation of factors causing variances between planned and actual figures/steps.

1.11. Application of Quality Management principles in a given case study.

1.12. Applying Environmental Management principles in a given case study.

1.13. Correctly discussing the relevant Philosophy.

• Describing the theory of public choice.
• Discussing the relevant structure and the role of government.
• Correctly describing and exposing the ability to apply health policy in respect of a) humans b) animals.
• Correctly applying environmental policy in respect of a) processing, b) harvesting and c) conservation.
• Demonstrating knowledge of and an ability to apply marketing policy in respect of a) Trade theory b) National marketing c) International marketing d) Protection of commodities e) Dumping f) World trade organization g) General agreement on trade and tariffs.

1.14. The ability to understand and interpret theories to risk management.

• The ability to calculate portfolio risk for a given set of parameters.
• The ability to understand and interpret theories of futures markets.
• The ability to apply the principles of futures trading.
• Understanding and applying the principles of hedging.
• Understanding and applying the principles of options.
• Describing the theory of supply chain management.
• Showing insight and understanding of the concepts that govern supply chain management.
• Designing a supply chain for a product which create competitive advantage.
• Explaining the concepts of the value chain.
• Explaining the concept of global value.
• Developing strategies for the creation of global value.
• Explaining the principles for developing a supply network.
• Explaining the concept of the bullwhip effect.
• Showing an understanding of the coordination problems in the supply chain.
• Explaining the vertical relationships in the supply chain.
• Developing information systems for negotiation support.
• Explaining the concepts governing the management of the cold chain management.

1.15. Assessing and interpreting the societal impact of road vehicles correctly.

• Evaluating the demand and supply of motor vehicles worldwide and in South Africa are correctly.
• Interpreting the globalisation trends in the world automotive industry are correctly.
• Analysing the market characteristics and prospects correctly for the following markets:

> Europe.

> NAFTA.

> Japan.

> The Pacific Rim.

> South America.

> South Africa.

> Other emerging markets.

• Correctly interpreting and analysing the environmental impact of the motorcar.
• Correctly determining the economical effects of green issues on the manufacturing of the motor car.
• Determining and interpreting the global regulatory framework impacting on the automotive industry.
• Contrasting the first world environmental issues with emerging market needs.
• Determining the structure and key economic and business characteristics of the South African Motor Industry.
• Correctly evaluating and interpreting the MIDP.
• Correctly explaining the impact of Human Resources development on the integration of the South African Automotive industry, into the International Economy.
• Correctly formulating long-term strategic considerations for the South African Automotive Industry.
• Correctly identifying long-term competitive advantages for the automotive industry.
• Correctly identifying and formulating strategic alternatives for the motor industry.
• Correctly formulating a growth framework for the South African motor industry.

1.16. Analysing and evaluating the role and importance of the purchasing and supply chain correctly.

• Developing a World-class supply chain strategy correctly for an automotive organisation.
• Correctly analysing Networking models and their application in the automotive industry.
• Exact development of networking models for a firm in the automotive industry.
• Manufacturing and supplying performance are correctly measured.
• Illustrating and correct implementation of process changes.
• Comparing and contrasting the different views and approaches to "World class" and "World-class manufacturing".
• Correct identifying and analysing of World-class improvement techniques.
• Correct contrasting and comparing of the manufacturing paradigms of the twentieth century
• Correct analysis of the fundamentals of mass and lean.
• Determining the requirements for and consequences of the implementation of lean manufacturing for a firm in the automotive industry.
• Correct analyses of the application of mass customisation and agile manufacturing to the automotive industry.
• Correct mapping of the value stream for a motor vehicle.
• Correct analyses and evaluate the application of the pillars of World-class manufacturing in the automotive industry.

Integrated Assessment

• Theory, practical case studies.
• Assignments/Projects.
• Examinations.
• Formative evaluation through study leadership/guidance.
• Formative/summative panel evaluation of the dissertation.