SAQA

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.

SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Certificate: Associate in Management

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
15179	Certificate: Associate in Management
ORIGINATOR
University of Cape Town
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
National Certificate	Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies		Generic Management
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	120	Level 5	Level N/A: Pre-2009 was L5	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 06120/18	2018-07-01	2018-12-31
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2019-12-31		2022-12-31

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

The AIM programme is a full-time, part-time or modular programme designed to assist candidates to move into and through junior to middle management positions. Through the recognition of prior learning from relevant work experience, the programme broadens the management perspectives of the participants, develops self-confidence, problem solving and decision making skills.

Understanding of financial information, fluency in oral and written communication, analytical reasoning skills and personal growth are the intended outcomes The programme increases the students' awareness of the economic, political and social factors, regionally and locally, which affects business and also enhances their effectiveness in working with diversity and change.

Two courses, management communication and business process, provide underpinning themes for teaching the functional areas of management. These include the critical skills of financial and management accounting, quantitative methods and information technology, and core courses in management of human resources and organisational development, operations, project management, marketing, entrepreneurship, strategy, law and business ethics.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Recognition of prior learning (e.g.(Work or field experience (if applicable):

Applicants must have at least five years' work experience in a supervisory or management positions. They need to demonstrate a high level of personal motivation, stamina and initiative as well as a willingness to work in groups.

Applicants must complete a report identifying a problem they have solved in the work place, motivate their application and supply the name of the person they report to.

Applicants are interviewed to determine their persona motivation, ability to manage conflict, work under pressure, use their initiative, problem solving ability, insight, worldview, flexibility and suitability.

Applicants who have limited experience of quantitative methods and computer skills are required to attend bridging course in the first week of the programme.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Cross-field outcomes:

a) Critical cross-field outcomes (generic to all teaching and learning)

Critical outcomes are:

1. Identifying and solving problems using critical/analytical and creative thinking.
2. Working effectively with others as a member of a team
3. Collecting, analysing, organising and critically evaluating information.
4. Communicating effectively in English orally and in writing, use of visual aids
5. Organising and managing time effectively
6. Contributing to the learning of all candidates on the programme and becoming aware of the economic and political context, regionally and locally in which business is operated
7. Developing an ability to look at business problems and solutions holistically.

b) General outcomes (contextually demonstrated general knowledge, skills and values of the programme)

AIM graduate is able to:

1. Communicate understanding of business and management problems and put forward solutions.
2. Understand how to integrate functional areas of management
3. Analyse information critically and manage its dissemination
4. Understand the goals of business and personal goals
5. Appreciate the importance of life-long learning.

b) Specific outcomes, including professional outcomes, contextually demonstrated)

Management Communication

1. Note making and summaries
2. Business communication - written and oral
3. Listening skills and interview techniques
4. Negotiation and dialogue skills
5. Communication sills for teams and groups
6. Presentation skills
7. Managing and building teams
8. Critical and analytical reading and writing
9. Defining gender and race culture in organisations
10. Conflict resolution
11. Managing change

Financial and Management Accounting

1. Understanding financial statements
2. The accounting cycle
3. Vat
4. Capital and revenue expenditure
5. Cash flow
6. Bank reconciliation
7. Analysing and interpreting financial statements
8. Cost behaviour
9. Cost volume profit
10. Investment
11. Understanding stock market

Information Technology

1. Knowledge of information systems and how to manage them
2. Internet
3. Competitive use of information systems
4. Information as a resource
5. Telecommunications
6. E-commerce

Business Government and Society

1. Africa, the Southern African Region and South Africa
2. Transitions, transformations and democratisation
3. Impact of AIDS, population size, political stability
4. World development report
5. Development corridors
6. Assets and liabilities in SA

Global economics

1. Economic environment of business
2. Understanding markets and the market system
3. Institutions and policy environment of business
4. Focus on the firm - SMME, work environment

Quantitative Methods

1. QM in decision making, the basis for analysis of data and the application of methods used.

Marketing

1. To develop an appreciation of the key role marketing plays in the firm
2. To consider the major issues that marketing managers address
3. To understand the tools and approaches that have a useful application in this field
4. To assemble a marketing plan

Management of Organisations and Human Resources

1. How organisational goals and people management are integrated.
2. Corporate culture and leadership
3. Organisational restructuring
4. Human resource planning and staffing
5. Developing, motivating and rewarding people to achieve customer service and quality
6. Affirmative action and employment equity
7. Affirmative action and employment equity
8. Flexible practices and decentralised management
9. Industrial relations

Operations Management

1. Operations strategy and competitive advantage
2. World class operations in a global environment
3. Managing quality
4. Value added and competitive issues
5. Design of goods and services
6. Process strategy and capacity planning
7. Technology in operations
8. Inventory management
9. Lean systems
10. Aggregate scheduling
11. Material requirements planning

Project Management

1. Project management planning, control concepts and procedures
2. Work breakdown structures, bar charts, critical path analysis networks and resource management
3. Techniques for controlling personal time and project meetings

Entrepreneurship

1. Understanding entrepreneurship
2. The entrepreneurship process and the role of networks
3. Growth leverage and operations
4. Corporate entrepreneurship
5. Entrepreneurship and creativity

Strategy

1. The nature of strategy
2. Basic strategic planning model
3. Managing transformation
4. Competitive positioning
5. The learning organisation
6. Positioning distinctive competencies for competitive advantage

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

a) Students' achievement of the critical cross-fields, general and specific outcomes will be assessed through individual and group assignments. Individual assessment forms at least 50% of assessment in each discipline.

The candidates will be assessed for competencies in:

1. Critical thinking and computer literacy through written and individual assignments and individual and group presentations in all the core disciplines of management.

2. Numerical competency is assessed through examinations in financial and management accounting and statistics,
3. Through individual assignments requiring financial and statistical analysis across all the disciplines.

4. The candidates have to demonstrate their ability to integrate these competencies as well as their entrepreneurial capability by producing a professional report for their managers for a new product, service or process as well as delivering a presentation to a group of potential funders for a project.

5. Business simulation game is used as an exercise in group dynamics and decision-making when competing for market share.

B)

c) Individual assignments include-

1. Business letters,
2. Note making
3. Summarising
4. Report writing
5. Critical reading and writing
6. Individual presentations which are filmed
7. Analytical reports on the impact of online news and business information, gender conflict in the boardroom and the art of giving good presentations
8. Group assignments include systems thinking, group effectiveness, team building and self-reflection.

Assessment by examinations on trial

1. Balance
2. Income
3. Statements
4. Balance sheets
5. Cash flow
6. Vat
7. Financial ratios

Group assignment using an actual financial report to do financial analysis.

Assessment by examination on the Internet

1. Components of an information system and competitiveness
2. Group assignment on appropriate information systems for a particular organisation
3. Individual assignment on use of internet for accessing information

1. Group assignment on assets and liabilities of South Africa
2. Individual assignment on an analysis and critique of state of the nation address
Assessment via examination on circular flow of income

1. Role of government in the economy, impact of market concentration, barriers to entry that effect the level of competition, GDP and GNP as economic indicators
2. Group assignments on policy development egg. AIDS, SMME etc.

Tests on use of formula, analysis of data, hypothesis testing and regression analysis.
Group assignment using data from market research

Group assignment on developing a marketing plan
Individual assignment to do a new product development proposal

Individual assessment is a report on one of the many key people issues facing organisations today.

Group assignment on an employment plan or recruitment policy for an organisation

A group play on any topic covered in the course.

Assessment is a group presentation, group assignment and an individual assignment

Site visit to an industry in order to assess the operational flow.

Site visit to an existing project and a group assignment on various problems that need solutions.

A creative report on either corporate entrepreneurship, how they developed their new business idea or creativity in general.

A group assignment and presentation on strategic insights using a case study and an individual assignment on an e-business strategy.

Integrated assessment:

On the AIM programme integration is achieved on most assignments. All group assignments are assessed on content as well as language, and all group assignments involve presentations, which are assessed on content and presentation skills.

Each student is required to produce a business plan for a new product, service or process. This involves industry analysis, competitor analysis, marketing (the 4Ps etc), operations, human resources and financial information (budget, cash flow, pro-forma income statement, balance sheet and break-even analysis).

Each section in the plan is used as part of the assessment for that core discipline. The students are also required to present the business plan to an audience of potential investors or to their superiors.

The overall objective of the business plan process is to:

1. Contextualise the role of business within the macro environment
2. Highlight the inter-connectedness of the different functional areas of business
3. Develop the students' analytical, problem solving and decision making skills within a business context
4. Give practical relevance to the functional course content of other AIM modules

The group marketing assignment is used to assess marketing knowledge as well as the use of statistics for decision-making.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

MAP at Wits
Senior Managers programme at Stellenbosch
Junior management development programmes

MBA at UCT

MODERATION OPTIONS

The University of Cape Town has a system of external peer review and evaluation of each course. One of the aspects of the system is an evaluation of the standards and assessment practices of the department.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

The academic staff of the University of Cape Town will be used in a manner which is consistent with the quality assurance system of the University.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2006; 2009; 2012; 2015.

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.	University of Cape Town