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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Business 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
118658  Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Business 
ORIGINATOR
The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Postgraduate Diploma  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Generic Management 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered  SAQA 137/22  2022-02-03  2025-02-03 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2026-02-03   2029-02-03  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The purpose of this Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Business is to enable individuals involved in business operations, finance, marketing, or business development to understand, assess and select appropriate business technologies for growth and effectiveness. This qualification focuses on four areas in business to leverage technology for growth:
  • Business process transformation: efficiency and effectiveness.
  • Business model development: profitability and sustainability.
  • Business operating domain: new markets.
  • Business organisational culture.

    This qualification will equip learners with the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to:
  • Assess existing business systems to identify opportunities for digital transformation.
  • Analyse business models to identify digitisation possibilities.
  • Combine an understanding of process and model competencies to identify new markets and domains.
  • Recommend and design effective business systems for existing or emerging digital businesses.
  • Lead an organisation to accept and implement digital transformation.

    Rationale:
    Digital business focuses on enhancing organisational competitiveness by utilising 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 these meaningfully (Harvard Business Review, 2019). In Africa specifically, there is room and a need for more digitally-driven innovations across varied sectors (Harvard Business Review on the Rapid Growth of Digital Business, 2019). This growing demand for digitalisation in business and varied sectors supports the need for suitable learning qualifications that will equip graduate learners with the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to design robust, sustainable solutions.

    This qualification is suited for the learning and development needs of Bachelor's degree or Advanced Diploma graduates seeking a new skill set to promote the digitalisation of businesses.

    The career opportunities available include, among others:
  • Digital Business Analyst.
  • Digital Sales Manager.
  • Business Operations Manager.
  • Brand Manager.
  • Digital Marketing Manager.
  • Digital Marketer.
  • Business Development Consultant. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    The institution's Recognition of Prior Learning and Qualification Completion Policy distinguishes between RPL for access, which provides an alternative access route into a programme of learning, and RPL for credit, which provides for the awarding of credits for, or towards a qualification or part qualification registered on the NQF.

    The RPL processes are followed to recognise and assess prior knowledge and skills gained through informal, non-formal or experiential learning. RPL applications are evaluated against the entry requirements to a qualification.
    How the candidates' prior knowledge and skills will enable them to gain credits and admissions to the qualification and/or how they will be awarded credits for such learning is explained below:
  • To be awarded a qualification, a candidate must complete the requisite academic modules resulting in the completion of sufficient approved credits in the approved period. Some of the credits for these modules can be granted in recognition of formal learning from another qualification or approved short learning programme.
  • For a module or course to be recognised for academic credit there needs to be sufficient equivalence between the module or course completed and the outcomes and level of the module for which credit is sought.
  • All credits for an incomplete qualification may be recognised as meeting part of the requirements for a different qualification.

    Entry Requirements:
    The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • An appropriate Bachelor's degree in a cognate field, NQF Level 7
    or
  • An appropriate Advanced Diploma in a cognate field, NQF Level 7. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

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

    Compulsory Modules, Level 8,120 Credits:
  • Digital Business Technologies, 20 Credits.
  • Digital Business Process Transformation, 20 Credits.
  • Digital Business Models and Finance, 20 Credits.
  • Digital Marketing and Analytics, 20 Credits.
  • Business Management in Digital Transformation, 20 Credits.
  • Research Methodology, 20 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Evaluate the usefulness and appropriateness of business technologies for specific business needs.
    2. Apply regulatory rules that impact digital business, to the selection and implementation of digital business solutions.
    3. Analyse business processes to determine how technologies can improve processes.
    4. Evaluate business models and the opportunities and constraints they impose and make informed decisions about how to leverage technology to change business models.
    5. Design and implement an organisational change process to support digital business development.
    6. Report on data collected through primary and secondary research to inform digital business change and development. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Appropriately apply business technologies to resolve business problems.
  • Effectively determine areas within the business that require technological advancement and ensure that these technologies are appropriate to fill the identified gap.
  • Accurately compare different business technologies and select the most suitable for business goals and objectives.
  • Appropriately create new approaches that serve emerging economies' markets.
  • Effectively identify emerging trends and the impact of these trends on business transformation.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Critically compare different approaches to corporate social responsibility and legislation and recommend the most suitable approach for the current business context.
  • Effectively distinguish between the statutory and voluntary approaches to corporate governance.
  • Conduct an ethical analysis beyond the examination and justification of individual and group decisions.
  • Conduct an analysis of the impact of regulation on digital businesses.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Critically evaluate the cost impact of unresolved problems relating to existing business processes.
  • Appropriately design good measures that evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of a business process and how technology can be utilised to obtain process feedback.
  • Create a business system that can effectively assess the value and time of process tasks and the waste created by process production.
  • Accurately establish process control elements such as value proposition, performance measure, feedback from the customer and corrective action.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Successfully design a business concept that responds to market circumstances.
  • Appropriately determine the financial structure of a business model, such as internal funding and venture capital.
  • Successfully evaluate the execution of a business model into a business structure, business process, and related aspects.
  • Effectively conduct a customer and competitor analysis on multiple levels to evaluate the reality of demand for the product or service.
  • Appropriately use technological tools to make changes to business models.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Appropriately identify the internal and external variables that compel organisations to implement changes required for digital business development.
  • Critically analyse situational factors that influence the strategic choices of managers when planning a change effort for digital business development.
  • Successfully plan and execute models to implement changes effectively.
  • Effectively communicate to relevant stakeholders, the change strategies appropriate for digital business development.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
  • Successfully identify the criteria for meaningful digital business change and stakeholder research.
  • Accurately articulate a research problem and its purpose, questions, and goals.
  • Effectively assess the limitations and delimitations to a digital business change and development research study.
  • Appropriately develop and implement a relevant research design.
  • Successfully report on secondary research by means of a literature study that argues the research problem.
  • Critically analyse primary research data to interpret research findings and insights.
  • Successfully generate a report that reflects on the research design, providing meaningful recommendations for further research. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    The Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Business compares favourably with the following international qualifications:

    Country: Australia
    Institution: RMIT University
    Qualification Title: Graduate Certificate in Digital Transformation
    Duration: one year
    Purpose:
    This qualification is ideal for working professionals with some experience in digital transformation. Learners will gain theoretical and practical knowledge and skills required to lead and execute successful digital transformation in business. The focus of this qualification is leveraging technology to reimagine an organisations' strategy, people, and processes for improved customer and business outcomes. This qualification is comparable with the new South African qualification as it focuses on developing new business strategies, people, and processes for improved customer experience.

    Country: New Zealand
    Institution: University of Waikato
    Qualification Title: Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Business
    Duration: One year
    Purpose:
    This qualification incorporates business and Information Computer and Technology skills. Learners gain expertise in a range of e-business technologies which are crucial for managers and those in supervising positions in current times. The qualification prepares managers for the utilisation of disruptive digital technologies in business operations, marketing, and customer service. The new qualification is comparable with this qualification in that learners analyse global digital trends, identify business opportunities and threats, and make informed decisions that bring about solutions to new or existing problems. There is also a key blend of managerial, digital technologies, and analytics to contribute to the fast-evolving world where big data have changed operations, marketing, and customer service.

    Country: Singapore
    Institution: Emeritus Institute of Management
    Qualification Title: Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Business
    Purpose:
    This is an online qualification designed for working professionals seeking to develop advanced skills in digital business and marketing. In this qualification, learners learn key concepts and advanced frameworks for designing and implementing digital strategies.
    Qualification structure:
    The qualification consists of three core disciplines of digital transformation, namely the Strategy, the Platform, and the Tools.

    Compulsory Modules:
  • Digital Strategies for Business: Leading the Next-Generation Enterprise
  • Digital Transformation: Platform Strategies for Success
  • Digital Marketing: Customer Engagement, social media, Planning and Analytics
  • Capstone Project

    Comparison:
    The new qualification is comparable with this qualification as learners are equipped with the knowledge and skills to identify different types of current, disruptive, and emerging digital technologies and their purposes. Learners are further equipped with the theoretical and practical knowledge to design and prioritise the digital transformation of business and society.

    Conclusion:
    This qualification compares favourably with both qualifications offered at the above international institutions. The purposes and aims of these qualifications are similar when compared to the new qualification. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows possibilities for both vertical and horizontal articulation.
    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Management, NQF Level 8.
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management and Administration, NQF Level 8.
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration, NQF Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Commerce Honours, NQF Level 8.
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Business Leadership NQF Level 8.
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Marketing, NQF Level 8.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Master of Management, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Business Administration, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Commerce in Strategic Brand Leadership, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Philosophy, NQF Level 9. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
     
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.