South Africa:Rhodes University-Investec Business School

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Rhodes University-Investec Business School

Set in the hills of beautiful and historic Grahamstown, Rhodes Investec Business school offers an ideal physical environment for studying. You will live and learn in elegant plaster and stone-under-tile buildings, several of which are National Monuments. The campus, long considered one of the most beautiful in the country, is situated in the "Festival City of Grahamstown", the home of the National Festival of the Arts, SciFest and other festivals. The University"s landscaped grounds and flower-filled gardens invite students to study outdoors and often study groups are seen under the hundred-year-old trees on the St Peter's campus. A year-round moderate climate lures students outdoors for jogging, walking and cycling as well as for a large variety of sports, art classes or recreation.

Rhodes has earned a world-wide reputation for the high quality of its education and all Rhodes degrees are internationally recognised. In fact, Rhodes has produced a disproportionate number of international scholarship winners. Rhodes graduates are to be found in leading positions, in many different fields of endeavour, all around the globe.

vision
...to be the leading Business School and provider of business and management education in the Eastern Cape, as well as to be among the top ten business school in South Africa as ranked by the Financial Mail's MBA Survey...

purpose
In fulfilling the vision, RIBS recognizes that its core purpose is to equip students to deliver superior business results for the organizations for which they work. RIBS strives to be a place "Where Business Leaders Learn".
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core strategies
The core strategies of RIBS include innovative, intensive and interactive teaching; as well as high quality research, both of which focus on

* business and management in emerging economies
* contributing to black economic empowerment and,
* meeting the employment equity needs of South African organizations.

The RIBS curriculum which shapes and influence the implementation of these core strategies, is derived from the South African Performance Excellence Framework.

core values

* student care
* quality processes
* transparency

history of Ribs
A brief history of RIBS;

* Started in 2000 with seed money provided by Investec
* First intake of MBA students in 2001
* The MBA curriculum, which is designed and structured around the South African Excellence Framework, has a General Management focus
* In 2004, an Environmental Management stream was added. It is possible for students to take up to 6 Environmental Management electives in their MBA
* The Rhodes MBA is a part-time, modular programme over three years in terms of which students are required to attend 3 x 2-week teaching blocks in Grahamstown per year
* Students enjoy the benefits of two worlds: while they do not have to give up their jobs to read for an MBA, they are, at the same time, not deprived of the stimulation, excitement and interaction of the "business school classroom"
* The programme comprises 18 course-work modules and a research dissertation of 25 000 words.
* The first intake of students completed their studies and graduated in April 2004
* Mr Hugh Herman, Chairman of Investec, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University in April 2004
source:http://www.ribs.ru.ac.za/mba.php

 

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MBA programme

The Rhodes MBA is a part time, modular programme over three years, in terms of which students are required to attend 3 x two-week teaching blocks per year, in Grahamstown. It is designed to equip practising and potential managers to assist in the creation, development and leadership of successful organisations in a competitive business environment.

To this end, the Rhodes MBA has been designed around what managers need to know in order to ensure that they are able to contribute to the achievement of superior business results in the organisations for which they work. In addition, the Rhodes MBA curriculum has been benchmarked against the curricula of other leading Business Schools. It is also important to note that the Rhodes MBA is fully accredited by the Council on Higher Education.

To focus on equipping its graduates with the knowledge and skills to pursue managerial and organisational excellence, the Rhodes MBA programme is based on the following principles:

* It is primarily a general MBA aiming to provide an integrated, conceptual and theoretical framework within which to understand generic areas of business and management. It is possible, however, to take up to four elective courses in Environmental Management
* It assumes no prior depth of knowledge of business, economics and/or accounting. It is an academic conversion programme, where graduates with first degrees in a diversity of subjects can attain professional knowledge of business and management
* It aims to enhance previous management-related work experience by helping students to evaluate their practical business experience from a more professional, academic and research perspective
* Where appropriate, it uses a case study-based teaching methodology incorporating South African case studies where they are available


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the benefits - individual

* The short, intensive teaching blocks facilitate the speedy transfer of new learning and skills into the workplace
* The assessment process facilitates the continuous application and development of learning in the work environment
* Long absences from work are not needed. This minimises disruption both to your career development and your work responsibilities
* The programme is built on two-week teaching blocks which can be planned well in advance
* The periods of intensive study away from the pressures of the workplace provide a demanding, rewarding and motivating experience
* The MBA class will be restricted to approximately 25 students providing the opportunity for a meaningful cross-fertilisation of ideas and experiences, and constructive debate both during and between teaching blocks
* Our entry requirements will mean that you will benefit from the experience of a motivated and mature peer group of students from diverse work and professional backgrounds
* The dissertation, which is supervised by a member of the Rhodes academic staff, provides the opportunity for you to capitalise on your learning from the course as a whole and to become an "expert" in a particular area.

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the benefits - employer

* A tangible return for your employer is the opportunity for immediate, practical application of the knowledge and skills gained, as well as the introduction of new ideas into the organisation
* The combination of this transfer of knowledge, the work-based assignments and feedback from academic staff constitutes a type of cost effective management consultancy for the employer on the one hand, and a process of management development for you, the student, on the other
* Students are encouraged to select dissertation topics which have both academic merit and which are of value to the employer
* You will not be absent from the organisation for any lengthy period of time

 

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why a modular MBA
In today’s complex and competitive business environment, flexibility has become a key requirement for organisations and individuals. Business education has to take account of new pressures and demands placed on managers and employees i n the environments in which they operate. On the one hand, a full-time MBA programme is not viable for many companies and individuals when it comes to combining study with managerial responsibilities. On the other hand, an essentially distance learning-based MBA programme, deprives students of the “business school” experience where they interact with their peers and instructors in an intensive and participative learning process in the classroom. The Rhodes MBA captures the best of both through a mixed-mode structure. Employees and managers can “learn while they earn” while at the same time enjoying the “business school classroom” experience at Rhodes University in Grahamstown during three two-week teaching blocks of two weeks each year.
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expectations for students

Many people enrol for an MBA degree without fully appreciating or understanding the nature of the MBA process and what is expected of them. An MBA degree and the MBA process is not for everybody and applicants need to have a clear idea of what they are letting themselves in for.

The Rhodes MBA requires an enormous amount of commitment, energy and effort not only to cope with the workload, but also to balance the demands of academic studies, home life, social life and work life. The programme should not be entered into lightly. The rewards, however, are significant in terms of personal development, creative and analytical thinking and opening up new career opportunities. Before applying, the following points need to be carefully noted:

1. The Rhodes MBA degree is a Masters level degree. While the space available precludes our going into significant depth in each of the 18 courses which comprise the degree, the quality of what is produced by students is expected to be at a Master degree level in terms of a critical and analytical approach.

2. The slogan of the Rhodes Investec Business School is "Intensive, Interactive and Innovative".

* During the two week teaching blocks, the work is intensive. Students must expect to be engaged academically from 08:00 to 23:00 either in class, preparing work individually or working in syndicate groups
* In the Rhodes MBA, emphasis is placed on the Socratic and interactive teaching process. Students are expected to prepare work beforehand and interact with their fellow students in the classroom, to readily give their points of view, as well as to defend their points of view. In most modules, there will not be standard lecturing as usually experienced at an undergraduate level. A Rhodes MBA student is expected to learn a significant amount from their classmates and in the process, be prepared to readily share their company experience, knowledge and insights, as well as to take responsibility for their own learning
* Students are expected to be innovative in their solution of business problems

3. Computer literacy is a requirement for entry to the programme.

* Computer literacy refers to proficiency in MS Word (word processing), MS Excel (spread sheets) and MS PowerPoint (presentations). Rhodes Investec Business School communicates with the MBA class via e-mail and electronic learning systems. Between teaching blocks, it is expected that students will stay in contact with one another, and the School with students, via e-mail
* All students should have ready access to computer facilities and the Internet at home and/or at work(d) Superior time management skills are needed to be able to balance work, social and MBA commitments. Normally, extensions are not given for assignments, and late assignments are heavily penalised.

4. Superior time management skills are needed to be able to balance work, social and MBA commitments. Normally, extensions are not given for assignments, and late assignments are heavily penalised.

 

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Core Courses

1. Academic and Personal Skills
To enable an understanding of the nature of the MBA programme and its requirements, as well as to lay a foundation for the MBA cross-field outcomes.
Topics include
* The meaning of academic knowledge
* Academic writing
* Academic assessment
* Learning strategies
* Presentation skills
* Personal leadership
* Working in teams and groups
* Writing skills
* Accessing library resources

2. Marketing
To enable the writing of a marketing plan, as well as the development and implementation of a marketing strategy
* The marketing concept
* Market segmentation
* Consumer behaviour
* Marketing research
* Distribution strategy, Product strategy, Pricing strategy and Promotional strategy
* Services marketing
* Relationship marketing

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3. Financial Accounting
To enable the preparation of basic financial records including trial balances, income statements and balance sheets
* The objectives of Accounting
* Recording and reporting accounting information
* Practical recording issues
* Recording and reporting investments and non-current assets
* Shareholders equity and liabilities
* The annual report of companies listed on the JSE
* An introduction to financial analysis

4. Economics
To enable an assessment of the economic context in which South African organizations do business, as well as mechanisms that influence business decision- making. Topics covered include
* Macro-economics
o Measurement and forecasting of economic activity, GDP and inflation
o Sources of macroeconomic data and their use
o Macro-economic policy in SA – exchange rate policy, trade policy, fiscal policy
* Monetary economics
o The role and definition of money, the deposit expansion process, the money multiplier and interest rates
o Analyzing the money aggregates in SA
* Micro-economics
o Understanding the market mechanism, market structure, allocating resources, the roles of the public and private sectors
o Consumer behaviour, elasticity of demand, applications for business decision making
o Analysing cost of product: fixed and variable costs, the breakdown of short run cost, economies of scale, strategies to manage costs

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5. Management Accounting
To enable effective management of costs, as well as the preparation of budgets. Topics covered include
* Cost-volume-profit analysis
* Measuring relevant costs and revenues for decision making
* Cost assignment
* Activity-based costing
* The budgeting process
* Standard costing and variance analysis

6. People Management
To enable the effective management of people in organizations. Topics covered include
* Organizational theory
* Scope of, and approaches to, People Management
* Organizational behaviour
* Legal considerations
* Staffing organizations – selection
* Rewarding staff – “maintenance”
* Developing staff
* Motivating staff
* Performance management
* Groups and teams
* Change management
* Communication and management of grievances and discipline
* Managing diversity

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7. Financial Management
To enable the effective management of finances including the financing decision, the investment decision and the dividend decision. Topics covered include
* Objectives of financial management
* Working capital decisions
* Capital investment appraisal
* Measuring and dealing with risk
* Sources of finance
* Cost of capital: valuation of fixed income and equity instruments
* Ratio analysis
* The dividend decision

8. Principles of Sustainability
To enable organizations to respond to global trends towards improved corporate governance and sustainable development in order to leverage a competitive advantage. Topics covered include
* Business ethics and corporate social responsibility
* The concept of sustainable development and the relevance to businesses in Africa, with a focus on the advantage of adopting sustainable practices
* The concept of the “triple bottom line” as described in the King II Report
* Development of sustainability indicators and reporting mechanisms with reference to international and national reporting guidelines (GRI) and the JSE’s Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) index
* Trends in environmental management including cleaner production, waste minimization and environmental management systems. The Natural Step, industrial ecology and eco-efficiency

9. Research Methodology
To enable the planning, conducting and writing up of research and to develop an appreciation of applied scientific research. Topics include
* The research proposal
* Research paradigms
* Research methods
* Data collection methods
* Quantitative and qualitative data analysis

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10. Quantitative Decision Making
To enable effective business decision-making through the use and application of quantitative methods. Topics include
* Summarising data statistically
* Presenting and interpreting data
* Significance testing
* Time series analysis and forecasting
* Linear programming
* Marketing research practice including questionnaire design and sampling

11. Strategic Management
To enable the preparation of a strategic plan. Topics covered include
* The strategic management process
* Strategic intent – vision and mission
* External environmental analysis (including scenario analysis) to identify opportunities and threats and internal environmental analysis (including core competency analysis) to identify strengths and weaknesses
* Cross-impact analysis
* Strategic objectives and the Balanced Scorecard
* Gap analysis
* Generic strategies, value innovation and world class performance

12. Leadership
To enable effective leadership of both people and organizations. Topics covered include
* The nature of leadership
* Strategic leadership
* Contemporary leadership approaches
* Leadership styles and emotional intelligence
* African leadership
* Leading a diverse organization

13. Project Management
To enable effective selection and use of resources in order to meet project deadlines and objectives within budget and on time. Topics covered include
* Key project management concepts and tools
* Project management and methodology
* Project implementation approaches
* Project management control
* Use of project management software

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14. Integrative processes
This is the finale to the MBA programme. The aim is to draw together most of what was covered in the MBA; to give an opportunity for reflection on the MBA experience and to develop perspectives about the future. Topics to be covered include
* A business simulation which will serve to integrate much of what was covered in the MBA programme
* Panel discussion by business leaders addressing the key challenges facing South Africa in the next 5 to 10 years
* Presentations by CEO’s
* Individual and syndicate reflections on the MBA experience and career aspirations for the future

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Elective Courses
15. Operations Management
To enable an appreciation of the critical role which operations management, as well as supply chain management play in achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. Topics covered include
* Operations strategy
* Process types and process flows in manufacturing services
* Performance measurement
* Benchmarking and re-engineering
* Location planning and capacity planning
* Master production planning
* Quality management
* Lean thinking and world class manufacturing
* Supply chain management

16. Information and Knowledge Management
* To enable the creation and utilisation of knowledge and intellectual capital in organizations, as well as the management of e-Commerce. Topics covered include
* Organizational learning, intellectual capital and knowledge creation
* Knowledge management through knowledge exchange, capture, internalisation, codification, testing and reuse
* Knowledge management tools facilitating knowledge transfer and sharing
* Managing knowledge organizations and workers
* The strategic role of information in organizations and how to use it for competitive advantage
* An examination of e-commerce technology and systems and their effect on an organization’s capacity to compete

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17. Entrepreneurship
To enable the preparation of a business plan as the basis for new venture creation. Topics covered include
* Entrepreneurship theory
* Characteristics of an entrepreneur
* Generating entrepreneurial ideas
* Feasibility studies
* Growth strategies
* Intrapreneurship
* Business plans

18. Globalization
To enable an understanding of the global context of doing business. Topics covered include
* History of the globalization of business
* Why do companies go international?
* How do companies go international?
* Economic, political and technological variables that managers need to be aware of in planning and managing direct investments in other countries
* Cultural and social variables affecting the practice of international business

19. Environmental Law
To enable the identification, location and preliminary interpretation of environmental legislation, relevant to the operation of business and other organizations. Topics covered include
* Fundamental legal concepts including common law
* International environmental agreements, protocols and conventions
* The South African Constitution and environmental management
* Key South African Acts related to pollution prevention and the preservation of natural resources
* Collection and handling of environmental evidence

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20. Environmental Risk Assessment
To enable organizations to identify, assess and implement appropriate measures to mitigate environmental risks. Topics covered include
* The nature, relevance and identification of environmental risk
* Semi-quantitative and quantitative risk assessment techniques
* Strategic environmental assessment (SEA)
* Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
* Technology assessment (TA)
* Environmental due diligence and site assessment procedures
* Risk-based decision-making

21. Environmental Management Systems
To enable the realisation of competitive advantage through effective, systematic management of environmental impacts associated with an organization’s operations. Topics covered include
* Organizational advantages associated with the implementation of an EMS
* The general EMS with reference to the ISO 14001 international standard
* The OHSAS 18001 Health and Safety management system
* Integrated Safety, Health and Environmental (SHE) management systems
* Auditing of the EMS
* The role of training and capacity building in the success of an EMS

22. Environmental Economics
To enable the integration of environmental concerns into triple bottom line decision-making. Topics covered include
* Economics and the environment
* The economy-environment interaction
* Techniques for the valuation of ecological goods and services
* Environmental policy intervention
* Environmental economic impact analysis