Master of Management in Executive Leadership

Purpose

We recognise that increasing globalisation and democracy in Southern Africa are creating new socio-economic challenges that will require new ways of managing and organising our firms and institutions. This programme is designed to broaden and deepen thinking about these issues and critically question current practices and theories with a view to developing more innovative approaches that are more relevant to the context in which we find ourselves.

The programme introduces a systemic approach to thinking critically about and inquiring into these issues. It brings into focus issues of ethics and aesthetics, of values and ends, and of efficiency and effectiveness. Multiple sources of learning and knowledge are integrated in order to take more effective action. Its flexibility allows individuals to concentrate on particular areas of importance to themselves and their organisations.

The programme develops appropriate organisation and general management competencies for professional practitioners who are proficient in their specialised fields. These competencies provide the foundations for their development as executives and future leaders in an increasingly global context.

Students develop a deep appreciation of a set of core and foundation courses that familiarises them with the debates, techniques of research and study in the following fields: systems thinking and inquiry; quantitative methods; economics; ethics and governance; business and society; marketing and electronic commerce; operations and logistics management; strategic human resources management; accounting and finance; information management and technology; international business; entrepreneurship; strategic and global management and critical management thinking.

Students are required to show proficiency in all of these subjects before applying them to particular organisational issues and problems. They are required to produce a series of group (30) and individual (12) problem-based learning reports, a personal development report, an action learning report and a major action research report. The research report submitted should be on a standard sufficient to provide the foundation for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) thesis.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

People who have shown by examination, publication or a record of appropriate training that they have reached a level in the subject or a cognate subject equivalent to an honours Degree may be permitted to register for the Degree.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• A relevant Bachelor Degree.

Or

• Equivalent qualification.

N/A

1. Develop solutions to both familiar and novel business problems as these arise in the course of general and executive management activities.
2. Communicate his or her understanding of business problems and solutions to others in ways that are clearly without arrogance or presumptions.
3. Receive critically and understand the difference between personal and social (often corporate, sometimes public) goals.
4. Appreciate the ethical issues associated with organisation and management and the research there of; and understand the importance of commitment to broader social goals even when these diverge from his or her personal interests.
5. Critically challenge the current wisdom on organisation and management and develop a awareness of how this is changing.
6. Master a critical mass of the body of knowledge within organisation and management.
7. Summarize clearly and accurately all the aspects of debates relevant to organization and management.
8. Appreciate the contexts in which specific technical competencies identified below can best be integrated with the general competencies just identified.
9. Develop solutions to both familiar and novel business problems as these arise in the course of general and executive management activities.
10. Communicate his or her understanding of business problems and solutions to others in ways that are clearly without arrogance or presumptions.
11. Receive critically and understand the difference between personal and social (often corporate, sometimes public) goals.
12. Appreciate the ethical issues associated with organisation and management and the research there of; and understand the importance of commitment to broader social goals even when these diverge from his or her personal interests.
13. Critically challenge the current wisdom on organisation and management and develop an awareness of how this is changing.
14. Master a critical mass of the body of knowledge within organisation and management Master research methodologies relevant to organisation and management.
15. Summarize clearly and accurately all the aspects of debates relevant to organisation and management.
16. Appreciate the contexts in which specific technical competencies identified below can best be integrated with the general competencies just identified.

• Lead issues in the field of organization and general and executive management and this will enable the leaner to contextualise these using systemic and critical frameworks.
• Apply empirical, statistical and conceptual thinking and learning in the field of general organisation management.
• Prepare professional papers, technical reports and research documents for peer review.
• Develop innovative proposals for enterprise development and entrepreneurship.
• Integrate action-learning processes into his or her management practice to enhance continuous improvement.

Integrated Assessment

These competencies are assessed in terms of the following criteria through oral and written group projects, action learning projects, research projects and personal development projects.

1. Richness

• Richness reflects the depth of understanding of and the insights into these aspects and the different levels of complexity and interpretation. Any object can be viewed from many different perspectives and that each stakeholder has his/her own perspective of an issue. A richer understanding of an issue requires you to sweep in multiple perspectives of the issue.

2. Recursion

• Understanding of the recursive nature of things. This is the idea of meta-levels and that, when you are dealing with something on a particular level; it is more useful to view if from a meta-level. As we ascend to higher levels we are able to "reflect" in a process that is increasingly diverse and complex and that systematically organisations and reorganisations to cognitive content.

3. Relationships

• Focusing on the interconnections and interrelationships between the parts that give coherence to the whole. It is the relationship with the whole that gives meaning to the parts.

4. Rigor

• Recognising the complexities of our age and the problems it brings, as well as the uncertainties, indeterminacies and the abilities of our theories. Vigorously searching for alternatives, relations, patterns and connections before coming to decisions. Understanding the assumptions on which decisions are made and the implications of these for the decisions. These are measured through the following activities:
• Statistical projects.
• In-depth and critical review of relevant literature.
• Professional and critical report writing.
• Paper and on-line literature searches.
• The writing and presentations of position papers and action learning project.
• Critical stakeholder analysis in action learning and research projects.
• Professional preparation of report and presentations.
• Impact of Management Skill (IMS) projects.
• The use of experts and consultants in action learning and action research project.
• IMS project.
• The developments of an action learning approach to own management practices.
• Projects on strategy, international business and entrepreneurship.

Criteria

Outcomes are assessed in terms of levels of cognitive complexity achieved in the following categories

• Relevance, which answers the question:" Is this relevant to the context".
• Utility, which answers the question:" Will this bring about an improvement in the context".
• Validity, which answers the question: "Is there a valid basis for this".
• Ethics, which answers the question: "Is this an ethical option in this context".

These are measured through the following activities

• Systematic problem formulation, solution design and implementation.
• Professional communication.
• Sweeping in multiple perspectives-typically technical, economic, social and political perspectives.
• Projects in ethics, governance and normative management.
• Explicit use of critical reflective activities and critical management thinking.
• Projects in core subjects relevant to organization and general and executive management.
• Action research projects.
• Critical reasoning and thinking.
• Systems thinking.

Levels of cognitive complexity reflected in

• Construction and evaluation of arguments.
• The Degree of critical and reflective thinking and reading.
• The ability to gain insights into, critique and redefine the interactions between empirical and conceptual objects.

Cognitive complexity is demonstrated in

• Group problem based-learning aspects.
• Position papers.
• Action learning project.
• Personal development report.
• Major research project.

Integrated Assessment

The program consists of 6 modules spread over a two-year period. Modules are designed around the following themes

• Module 1 - Foundations of organisation and management.
• Module 2 - Normative management.
• Module 3 - Designing and managing the organization's value stream.
• Module 4 - Value-based management (stakeholder value).
• Module 5 - International business and entrepreneurship.
• Module 6 - Strategy and critical management thinking.

Content course are selected in accordance with these themes

Each module is structured as follows

• Two week full-time intensive period-120 scheduled hours.
• 14 week part-time project period-200 project hours.

Each module is assessed in terms of

• Five problem-based group projects (30 hrs).
• One position paper (20 hrs).
• One individual problem-based or action learning project (150 hrs).

In addition there are the following three program projects

1. One personal development project (150 hrs).
2. One major reflective action learning project (200 hrs).
3. One major action research project (350 hrs).

Students have to exhibit proficiency in a range of mathematical, analytical and written assignments. The Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is designed to impart to students a set of professional as well as academic skills that provide a sound foundation for general and executive management. It equips student to pay leadership and senior executive roles in the full range of organizations the make up civil society.