Back to management school to meet modern challenges
AS public and private sector landscapes experience seismic shifts an increasing number of employees are going back to school. So says Prof Geoff Goldman, Head of the Department of Business Management, one of the newly formed departments in the Johannesburg Business School at the University of Johannesburg.
He elaborates, “In many instances a 20th century education doesn't fit the bill and ambitious middle managers are opting for ongoing education. Similarly, employers keen on retaining loyal talent, are encouraging them to study further.
“In another exciting development, we find young graduates are adopting a broader view.
“For example, one of our students who earned an honours degree in BA communication theory has, after working for several years, decided to study business management part time with a view to opening her own media company.”
Goldman says matriculants who don't attain the marks needed for a degree or can't afford full time university are also opting to further their education through the Continuing Education Programmes (CEP’s) offered by the Department of Business Management.
“Another major contributing factor to ongoing learning is the immense pressure on our public sector to improve service delivery.
“This cannot be achieved without key managerial knowledge. Civil servants keen to gain promotion are even funding their own studies.
“As Taddy Blecher, director of the Human Resource Development Council of South Africa says, Growth in South Africa cannot, be about mineral wealth, but about what is happening between people’s ears.
“What worked in the past may not work now and general managers are the cornerstone of both the public and private sectors.”
Goldman points to the National Development Plan and how it requires public servants able to master the basics of management.
“This is underpinned by Professor Richard M Levin, principal of the National School of Government, who describes successful public servants as patriotic, onboard, passionate, committed and relentless in the pursuit of excellence for the public good.
“He warns, however, that not every work environment encourages the implementation of new learning initiatives.”
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) is comprehensive and offers vocational as well as academic training.
The Department of Business Management offers the Higher Certificate in Business Management allowing the choice to specialise in either: General Management; Business Analysis; Operational Management; Risk Management; or, Project Management. As he explains, “The objectives are to ensure that students are equipped in management, not only with ‘what is’ but also the ‘how to’ skills that enable them to meet the demands of our time and to handle the demands of a changing environment in business effectively.”
A National Senior Certificate, with endorsement is an entry level requirement and programmes are offered on a part-time basis.
Importantly, they allow for articulation into other programmes and further studies at UJ.
Students commence their studies by enrolling for the Higher Certificate in Business Management, NQF level 5, 120 credits, specializing in either General Management, Analysis, Operational Management, Risk Management or Project Management with a Senior Certificate with only a Certificate Endorsement.
Thereafter, the Advanced Certificate in Business Management NQF level 6, 120 credits, continuing with the chosen area of specialisation.
Then the Advanced Diploma Bridging, NQF 6, 120 credits, They can then apply into a formal UJ programme, the Advanced Diploma in Management, NQF 7 120 Credits with a choice of continuing onto the following:
Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management, NQF 8, 120 Credits; or,
BCom Honours in Strategic Management, NQF 8, 120 credits.
After that the choice is between:
MCom Business Management with Bridging, NQF 9, 180 credits
MCom Strategic Management, NQF 9, 180 credits
Phil Business Management, NQF 9, 180 credits
Thereafter either:
DCom Strategic or Business Management, NQF 10, 360 credits
PhD Business Management, NQF 10, 360 credits
Goldman concludes, “As enrollments grow apace we at UJ feel incredibly privileged to be involved in an educational dynamic key to our economic future.
“It is why we refuse to rest on our laurels. Conscious of the fast-paced dynamic world our students compete in we constantly measure and adjust the content of our programmes to ensure they are fit for purpose.”
Situated in Auckland Park, close to Johannesburg's CBD and Braamfontein, UJ has 50 000 full time students, of which more than 3 000 are international students from 80 countries.
This makes it one of the largest of the 26 public contact universities in the country. The professor adds, “Our phenomenal success story has surprised critics and won over sceptics.
“Since its establishment in 2005, and under bold and visionary leadership the university has had a remarkable journey with major accomplishments in transformation, equity, access, and Pan African and global excellence.”
UJ’s vision is to be “an international university of choice, anchored in Africa, dynamically shaping the future”.
He describes the mission as, “inspiring our community to transform and serve humanity through innovation and the collaborative pursuit of knowledge.
“These are underpinned by four values: imagination, conversation, regeneration and ethical foundation.
“The six strategic objectives provide a focused means for realising our vision, mission and values.
“They also represent a re-working in the context of a wider positioning of the university as ‘The Pan-African’ Centre for critical intellectual inquiry, with the primary goal of achieving global excellence and stature.”