Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Business

Purpose

The purpose of the Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Business qualification is to address the pressing problems on a national level in terms of the National Development Plan (South African Government, 2022). This qualification is designed for professionals in the corporate world, middle and senior managers and entrepreneurs with digital business skills that are needed in the digital business transformation process.

The qualification prepares learners to meaningfully contribute to the National Development Plan. This includes the scaling of subject matter experts in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), ethical business practices and the use of technology to enhance business performance, personal development, self-management, soft management, and critical thinking in the digital business environment. This specialist knowledge will not only advance learners' careers but also keep them relevant and provide various articulation possibilities.

The emphasis is on principles and theory for further development in the business environment, professional training, postgraduate studies, or professional practice in a variety of occupations. The qualification will familiarise learners with the implementation of digital business principles and strategies using different information technologies.

Learners would be able to pursue a career in the evolving business environment with the qualification, which would allow them to use technology to communicate and conduct business activities in a developing digital business world. Learners will be able to build knowledge on their traditional business methods and strategies and be able to fulfil their business functions for a company, as well as use technology to enhance their business duties and make them more effective and efficient.

Furthermore, the qualification is designed to ensure that learners have a thorough understanding of the business environment, including digital marketing, management, finances, and project management, for them to make sound business decisions and confidently grow and develop in their careers.

Upon completion of this qualification, qualifying learners will be able to

• Understand the relevant digital marketing principles, business strategies, concepts, and processes.
• Examine relevant digital business, conceptual and analytical frameworks to analyse problems within different business and development management conditions.
• Apply digital financial models in a digital business environment.
• Apply systems thinking to adapt to challenges within the digital economy.
• Interpret digital technology fundamentals and techniques to inform digital strategy development in an ethical and professional manner.
• Critically analyse digital transformation and change management in a digital business environment.

Learners will possess the following attributes

• Be digitally literate.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively in digital space.
• Develop and grow organisations to evolve into the digital business environment.
• Manage digital identity, reputation, and well-being of the organisation.

The qualification aims to develop the knowledge and skills needed to meet the outcomes that have been recognised as vital for a career in this field both locally and globally. Learners will be well-positioned to provide value to the company where they work, pursue more education in this sector, or work as entrepreneurs, or consultants in the industry.

Rationale

According to the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (2020), South Africa's workforce will require elevated levels of digital skills and 21st-century life skills, including scientific, digital, financial, and cultural fluency. This contributes to the growing demand for scarce digital skills in the field of digital business and aims to address and allow learners to adapt to a digitally evolving environment.

Digital business focuses on enhancing organisational competitiveness by using innovative digital technologies to achieve business sustainability and growth (Chaffey, Hemphill, Edmundson-Bird, 2019). In a data-driven world, it becomes imperative for businesses to employ individuals who can conceptualise digital technologies and apply them meaningfully (Harvard Business Review, 2019). In Africa specifically, there is a need for more digitally driven innovation across varied sectors (Harvard Business Review on the Rapid Growth of Digital Business, 2019). This growing demand for digitalisation in business supports the need for suitable qualifications that will equip graduate learners with the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to design robust, sustainable solutions.

The qualification is a business qualification that focuses on the outcomes, effectiveness, and administration of digitalisation in organisations. The qualification is intended for young, entry-level, or middle-level managers who wish to progress in their careers, as junior managers with demonstrated leadership ability who wish to expedite their professional advancement into general digital management positions. The qualification is intended for learners from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds who wish to get a deeper understanding of how digital processes impact daily life and transform the general management of businesses.

Digital technology is constantly evolving and is one of the fastest-growing industries creating significant career opportunities for learners. This qualification will ensure that skills remain relevant in the evolving technological world and create significant opportunities for learners to advance their careers. The range of typical learners will include executives and professionals in the e-commerce field and interested in developing their digital business skills. Additionally, it will also include entrepreneurs dealing with e-commerce solutions.

This qualification will be beneficial to individuals in these fields and those who want to find employment as listed below:

• Automation Manager
• Digital Marketing Specialist
• Digital Platform Managers
• Project Managers
• Business Manager

The qualification responds directly to the rapidly evolving needs of the corporate environment in the digital world. According to the National Development Plan: Vision for 2030, the e-strategy collaborations between state, industry and academia will also create innovation systems, including software and applications incubators, local content and multimedia hubs and research and development networks (South African Government, 2022). The Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Business qualification's learning outcomes are in line with the National Development Plan. It will allow learners and entrepreneurs to have the relevant skills to contribute to their success in their careers and to have a positive impact on the economy.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution has an approved Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy applicable to equivalent qualifications for admission into the qualification. RPL will be applied to accommodate applicants who qualify. RPL thus provides alternative access and admission to qualifications, as well as advancement within qualifications.

RPL for access

• Learners who do not meet the minimum entrance requirements or the required qualification that is at the same NQF level as the qualification required for admission may be considered for admission through RPL.
• To be considered for admission in the qualification based on RPL, applicants should provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that they have acquired the relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to cope with the qualification expectations.

RPL for exemption of modules

• Learners may apply for RPL to be exempted from modules that form part of the qualification. For a learner to be exempted from a module, the learner needs to provide sufficient evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that competency was achieved for the learning outcomes that are equivalent to the learning outcomes of the module.

RPL for credit

• Learners may also apply for RPL for credit for or towards the qualification, in which they must provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates prior learning through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to obtain credits towards the qualification.
• Credit shall be appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and accepted.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Advanced Diploma in Business Management, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Bachelor of Business Administration, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Bachelor of Business Administration in Management, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Bachelor of Commerce, NQF Level 7.

Or

• A relevant qualification in the related field, NQF Level 7.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory modules, Level 8, 100 Credits

• Business Strategy for a Digital Environment, 20 Credits.
• Digital Technologies, 20 Credits.
• Digital Marketing for Business, 20 Credits.
• Entrepreneurship for Digital Business, 20 Credits.
• Digital Transformation and Change Management, 20 Credits.

Elective modules, Level 8, 20 Credits: (choose one from the elective modules)

• Systems Thinking in the Digital Economy, 20 Credits
• Finance for Digital Business, 20 Credits.

1. Understand the relevant digital marketing principles, business strategies, concepts, and processes.
2. Examine relevant digital business, conceptual and analytical frameworks to analyse and solve problems within different business and development management conditions.
3. Apply digital financial models in a digital business environment.
4. Interpret digital technology fundamentals and techniques to inform digital strategy development in an ethical and professional manner.
5. Critically analyse digital transformation and change management in a digital business environment.

Associated Assessment Criteria

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Examine the origins and impact of digital business and business communication to understand the foundations that underpin concepts in Digital Business.
• Investigate principles, concepts, and processes of digital business communication to understand the integrative nature of the digital business and marketing processes.
• Explore roles, purposes and benefits of digital marketing to highlight the key principles of digital marketing.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Analyse and solve complex and ambiguous problems.
• Apply digital business concepts and frameworks to different business and development management conditions.
• Contextualize digital business concepts and frameworks to other areas or functions of the organisation.
• Analyse and solve divergent leadership and managerial problems.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Understand and evaluate digital business models.
• Explore digital financial models to enhance the digital business environment.
• Apply digital financial models to remain relevant in the digital economy.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Apply digital technology fundamentals and techniques to inform digital strategy development.
• Analyse and evaluate digital technology fundamentals of digital business activities.
• Contribute to the development of ethical and responsible practices in digital business and organizational contexts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Contextualize digital transformation and change management of other areas or functions of the organisation.
• Apply digital transformation and change management in a digital business environment.
• Successfully plan, monitor, and execute models to implement changes effectively.