Re: South Africa UNI:MODULE DESCRIPTION AND RATIONALE
MODULE DESCRIPTION AND RATIONALE
STAGE 1
(i) Human Resource Management
The module is concerned with effective management and utilisation of human resource management. It deals with HRM from both a strategic and operational point of view. From a strategic perspective, it draws the link between the importance of allying HRM policies and practices to support and reinforce more general business strategies and objectives. At operational level, HRM is concerned with the design and implementation of procedures to optimise the day-to-day management of people in the organisation. The central focus is on improving the student’s knowledge of critical areas of HRM so that they can develop and implement effective policies for management of people.
(ii) Management Information Systems
Globalization of trade, the emergence of information economics, and the growth of the Internet and other global communications networks have recast the role of information systems in business and management. This module is based on the premise that it is difficult, if not impossible to manage a modern organisation without at least some knowledge of information systems – what they are, how they affect the organization and it’s employees, and how they can make businesses more competitive and efficient. Information systems have become essential for creating competitive firms, managing global corporations, and providing useful products and services to customers.
(iii) Operations Management
Operations management is a function in most organisations and the course is thus designed to impart a holistic knowledge of the functioning of operations management through the study of relevant literature and its practical application.
Students will study methods to improve the productivity levels of an organisation in order to compete more successfully in both the domestic and global markets.
As the operations management environment is dynamic, the course is designed to instill in the participants an ability to accept and react to continuous change.
(iv) Marketing Management
The focus of the module is the management marketing process. It is structured around the steps in the analytical and decision-making process involved in formulating, implementing, and controlling a strategic marketing programme for a given product-market entry. This involves researching the relevant market place to understand its dynamics and to identify opportunities to meet latent needs. It also involves segmenting the market and selecting those segments that a company can satisfy in its own superior way. Students are expected to formulate a broad strategy and refine it into a detailed action plan.
(v) Economics
This section of the module covers essential economics for business management, decision-making and planning. It includes basic economic concepts and principles underlying business practices and offers an introduction to both microeconomics and macroeconomics. The emphasis is on the application of economic tools in a meaningful way to equip managers with the necessary theory and analytical skills to formulate effective business strategies and enhance decision-making.
(vi) Quantitative Methods
The intention is to equip learners with elementary and basic quantitative methods to examine, analyse, interpret and use statistical data within the commercial environment for better management, monitoring and planning. Again it centres around the effective use of quantitative methods to improve efficiency within a business organisation.
(i) International Business
This explains how and why the world’s countries differ by presenting a thorough review of the economics and politics of international trade and investment. The functions and form of the global monetary system is examined along with the strategies and structures of international business.
(ii) Corporate Strategy
This explains the concepts of strategy in an organisational context and how to apply these concepts within the business sector. Corporate policy and governance issues, and the structures to implement strategy are discussed in greater depth.
(iii) Accounting for Decision-making
This explains the role and nature of accounting. It begins by explaining the distinction between management and financial accounting and continues to identify the main users of accounting information and discusses their needs. The key objective of this module is to explain how management accounting can fulfil the needs of managers especially in decision making.
(iv) Managing Strategic Change
The module enhances student understanding of the reasons for organisational change and the human resource issues associated with it.
The operational issues:
Allow students to recognise the pressures for change being experienced by logistics supply change providers
Synthesise a range of new and developing logistics techniques
Evaluate supply chain situations where these new techniques would be appropriate.
(v) Managerial Finance
The financial management module explores the financial well being of the firm and its shareholders by investigating the management of long-term and working capital, the financial measurement and choice of projects to invest in, and the overall financial strategy of a business. This module also introduces participants to the financial environment in which business activity takes place.
(vi) Management Science (Elective)
This module gives students an awareness of the scope and application of management science methods, particularly in problem solving. It enables students to tackle management problems using appropriate soft and hard methodologies.
(vi) Business and Professional Ethics (Elective)
The module allows for a more holistic understanding of the nature of business activity. Students will be aware of the benefits and limitations of bringing ethical theory into the managerial decision making process. This elective sets out to give students both a basic grounding in ethical theory, as well as working through how ethics can be applied to various business-related topics.
(vi) Investment & Portfolio Management (Elective)
This module explores the risk-return trade-off and the principles of rational portfolio choice associated with it. It also deals with the allocation of investment funds and the strategies of passive and active management of funds. Furthermore, it develops a sound understanding of the theoretical and practical applications of the equilibrium pricing relationships in order to profit from the pricing inefficiencies that may exist.
(vi) Entrepreneurship (Elective)
The twenty-first century has dawned with entrepreneurship as a major force shaping the global economy. The future growth of this economy lies in the hands of men and women committed to achieving success through innovative customer-focused new products and services. At the heart of this global movement are entrepreneurs who demonstrate their willingness to assume the risks associated with creating new business ventures. This module focuses on the next generation of entrepreneurs. It contains tools that students need to master the most essential and critical issues involved in starting and managing a successful new business venture
STAGE 3
(i) Research Methods
Research method is an introduction to the process and practice of research with particular reference to the opportunities and challenges in applying the methods of science to the business field. This course attempts to immerse students in the research process by starting with the familiar and building on it. The course directs attention to the steps or stages involved in conducting research: formulating a researchable question, reviewing the literature, choosing an appropriate research design and methodology, collecting data, analysing and interpreting data and reporting findings.
(ii) Dissertation
The dissertation represents a practical opportunity for students to test management theory in a substantial way in relation to a real management problem or issue. The dissertation provides a major vehicle through which students develop and demonstrate an ability to examine critically and in some depth the relationship between theory and practice in management.
