SAQA

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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Higher Certificate: Operations Management

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
88916	Higher Certificate: Operations Management
ORIGINATOR
Production Management Institute of Southern Africa (PMI)
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Higher Certificate	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 05	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 069/22	2021-07-01	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

Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to provide learners who are already in the manufacturing industry or wish to find employment in the manufacturing industry, with the knowledge of the principles, concepts and techniques that underlie the disciplines necessary for effective management of the operating system.

This purpose is achieved by providing the learners with exposure to the principles, concepts and techniques which would aid in the management of the production process within the greater context of the business environment and the attainment of the quality objectives of the organisation. The learners are also exposed to the disciplines of purchasing and inventory management. Learner ability to communicate information effectively is developed through the module, "Business Communication".

The Integrated Application Project provides the learner with the opportunity to demonstrate and apply knowledge in a practical work situation. Numeracy skills are strengthened by the inclusion of a Mathematics component and academic literacy is included to ensure that the learner acquires the skills to understand the demands of academic study and thereafter provide the learner with the skills to succeed in academic study at a higher education level.

Rationale:
A need has been identified in the manufacturing industry for a qualification that equips employees at a junior level or those who aspire to become junior managers, with a holistic view of the production function and with knowledge of the principles and concepts that inform their daily activities over a range of disciplines. This need follows from the recognition that the junior manager is a key figure in the effective and efficient attainment of the organisation's objectives.

The Higher Certificate: Operations Management, while it considers Operations Management to be the core field, also provides insights in the disciplines of Quality Management, Purchasing Management and the more generic discipline of Business Management. Modules have been included to develop the academic literacy of the learner and strengthen the learners' communication and numeracy skills.

Knowledge of the principles, cognitive tools and concepts that underlie these fields of study is essential for junior managers to understand the contribution that they can make to the effective management of the production function within the manufacturing industry. Demonstration of the learner's ability to apply this knowledge and competence can be found in the Integrated Application Project which forms part of this qualification.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

The learner is assumed to be familiar with a manufacturing environment through employment in such an environment, through the successful completion of an appropriate qualification at NQF Level 4, through appropriate self study or exposure to the sector.

Competence in Communication and Mathematics at NQF Level 4 is assumed.

Recognition of Prior Learning:
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) which includes formal, informal and non-formal learning and workplace experience, can be used to award learners with credits towards the qualification. It can also be used to grant access to the qualification to those learners who do not meet the minimum entry requirements.

Access to the Qualification:
Applicants must in a possession of one of the following:

A National Senior Certificate (NSC).
Or

A National Certificate Vocational ( NCV), at NQF Level 4.

A foreign qualification that is equivalent to the NSC as determined by SAQA.

Any relevant Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC), at NQF Level 4.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

The qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at NQF Level 5:

Operations Management 1, 15 Credits.

Quality Management 1, 15 Credits.

Business Management 1, 15 Credits.

Applied Mathematics 1, 15 Credits.

Purchasing and Inventory Management 1, 15 Credits.

Business Communication 1, 20 Credits.

Academic Literacy 1, 10 Credits.

Integrated Application Project 1, 15 Credits.

Total Credits at NQF Level 5: 120.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Demonstrate an understanding of operating as a manager in areas such as business or operations management.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of Supply Chain Operations in an organisation.
3. Communicate effectively in a business and operational environment with team members and clients.
4. Demonstrate understanding of a range of mathematical decision-making models and their application in the workplace.
5. Understand the concept of a Quality Management System and the role that it plays in integrating the activities of the organisation.
6. Demonstrate the ability to identify and investigate a problem in the work place, collect and analyse relevant data and present the conclusions in a coherent document suitable for written or oral presentation.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of the major principles affecting the success of a small business.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes:

Identify and solve problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made is achieved.
> The emphasis on application of the theory in the learners' work environment to solve problems ensures that this Critical Cross-Field Outcome is met.

Work effectively with others as a member of a team, group, organisation or community.
> The use of group tasks helps to ensure that this outcome is achieved.

Organise and manage oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively.
> The structure of the qualification is such as to help meet this outcome.

Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.
> The Integrated Application Project forces learners to meet this outcome.

Communicate effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentation.
> The inclusion of Business Communication and Applied Mathematics strengthens the learners' ability in this area. The structure of the qualification requires the learners to make formal and informal presentations both orally and in writing.

Use science and technology effectively and critically showing responsibility towards the environment and the health of others.
> Learners are required to use various technological resources in their presentations and assignments.

Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.
> This Critical Cross-Field Outcome is directly addressed in the Production Management 1 and Purchasing Management and Inventory Management modules.

Reflecting on and exploring a variety of strategies to learn more effectively.
> This Critical Cross-Field Outcome is directly addressed in the Academic Literacy module. The variety of teaching and learning strategies utilised in the qualification contributes towards meeting this Critical Cross-Field Outcome.

Participating as responsible citizens in the life of local, national and global communities.
> Not directly addressed however learners are exposed to the Learner Code of Conduct which requires responsible behaviour and attitude.

Being culturally and aesthetically sensitive across a range of social contexts.
> This is directly addressed in the module Business Communication.

Exploring education and career opportunities.
> The possibility of pursuing other educational activities subsequent to completing this qualification encourages learners to explore education and career opportunities.

Developing entrepreneurial abilities.
> This aspect is dealt with in the Business Management module.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:

Describe the role and tasks of the operations function in the organisation.

Explain how operations performance can affect the success of the organisation.

Utilise the techniques of work study to improve the productivity of the work place.

Explain the management of procedures and processes in accordance with timeframes and instructions.

Critically assess the layout of a workplace from a productivity perspective.

Apply the principles and methods of planning and control in the management of operations activities.

Calculate the capacity of operations units under a variety of conditions.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:

Illustrate the importance of the purchasing function for business enterprises.

Illustrate and explain the elements and procedures of a purchasing system.

Describe and analyse the supply chain of an organisation.

Distinguish between the elements of value and how prices can influence the purchased value.

Describe the role and importance of inventory planning and control.

Analyse the different cost elements of inventory holdings.

Calculate the re-order point of an inventory item.

Apply the principles of Just-In-Time (JIT) purchasing.

Illustrate and explain the purchasing negotiation process.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:

Apply the theoretical concepts of the communication process.

Identify the basic channels of communication within an organisation and communicate effectively within an organisation.

Present effectively to an audience.

Apply multicultural communication skills.

Interpret core ideas arising from any communication and write a précis.

Use simple graphic illustrations to communicate.

Evaluate a situation and prepare an accurate report.

Use simple written communication skills to write letters and memoranda.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:

Carry out basic number operations with positive and negative integers.

Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between numbers expressed as a ratio, a proportion or percentage.

Investigate, analyse and use a wide range of algebraic expressions and equations in solving problems.

Investigate, analyse, describe and represent a wide range of functions and solve related problems.

Identify, analyse and collect related data and propose solutions to workplace problems.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:

The principles of the main theories of Total Quality Management are discussed and applied to the workplace.

Define the characteristics of Quality Leaders and the role of ethics and values within a Quality Management approach and describe a Quality Management System (QMS) and the benefits it holds for a workplace.

Understand the implementation of the elements of a QMS with specific reference to the ISO range of standards.

Describe the management tools that have proven useful in process improvement, cost reduction, policy deployment and new product development.

Outline Statistical Process Control (SPC) and the techniques thereof.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:

Illustrate the ability to conceptualise a research project.

Demonstrate the ability to carry out a simple research project.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:

Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of entrepreneurship and the role that it plays in business management.

Demonstrate an understanding of how a business is established.

Demonstrate an understanding of the role of management in the business organisation.

Demonstrate an understanding of the theories relating to employee motivation and the principles of various motivational theories.

Demonstrate an understanding of the legal environment in which a business operates.

Demonstrate an understanding of the role of finance in business.

Integrated Assessment:
The Integrated Assessment is to ensure that the learners are exposed to the principles, concepts and techniques which would aid in the management of the production process within the greater context of the business environment and the attainment of the quality objectives of the organisation.

All formative assessment tasks are internally moderated and all summative, exit level assessment tasks are externally moderated by suitably qualified experienced subject specialists. All assessment decisions and moderation judgment must be clearly motivated and recorded.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

The competencies developed in this qualification are derived from a Canadian study of the competencies required by Production/Operations Managers and similar studies conducted by the American Department of Labour and the British Institute of Management. All these studies have been published internationally. In this respect the Higher Certificate Diploma in Operations Management can be regarded as internationally comparable as a qualification for junior managers in the sector.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This Qualification articulates vertically with:

Diploma: Operations Management, at NQF Level 6.

Advanced Certificate: Generic Management, at NQF Level 6.

Advanced Certificate: Operations Management, at NQF Level 6.

This Qualification articulates horizontally with:

National Certificate: Hiring Operations Management, at NQF Level 5.

National Certificate: Wholesale and Retail Operations Management, at NQF Level 5.

MODERATION OPTIONS

Moderation takes place in accordance with institutional Moderation Policy which provides for a moderation process that verifies that assessments are fair, reliable, valid, practicable and transparent.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

Assessors for this qualification should:

Hold at least a relevant qualification, one level higher than this qualification.

Have at least two years experience as an assessor in the subject matter and assessment.

Show competence in the planning and conducting of assessment of learning outcomes and in the design and development of assessment.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 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.	Production Management Institute of Southern Africa (PMI)