Wits Business School launches five new digital courses

DIGITALISATION is fast becoming the driving force in business, and organisations that embrace the digital revolution will outperform those that don’t, says Professor Brian Armstrong, head of the Wits Business School (WBS) Chair in Digital Business.

This is creating a demand for people with the skills needed to help their organisations navigate the entire process of digital transformation, and the school is helping individuals and organisations thrive in the digital era through both academic programmes (including a Master’s degree) and executive education short courses.

“There has been much hype around ‘digitalisation’ in the media and elsewhere, but while it is a very real part of our world, and applies to every aspect of business, there is no substantial body of knowledge available that is based on solid academic research,” says Armstrong.

This year WBS rolled out its first customised in-company digital business course for BCX. Telkom, Hitachi Vantara and several other clients will be following suit next year. The school will also launch a bouquet of open-enrolment short courses in digital business early next year and they will be targeted at various levels of management, from junior and emerging talent to senior executives.

Professor Greg Lee, Programme Director of the Digital Business short courses for Executive Education at WBS, explains, “Our digital offerings span all levels of management and cater for a variety of requirements. They are the first of their kind in that they provide a blend of content and skills development, merging managerial capabilities with digital application, which is an exciting new development in the South African market.”

WBS’s digital offerings include two five-day courses and three longer ones which take place in blocks over approximately seven months. The shorter ones include Digital Technology Fundamentals, designed for those who wish to understand the major digital drivers, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data. A slightly more advanced immersive course introduces elements of digital strategy, transformation and change, among other topics.

Longer programmes run between 21 and 28 days, depending on the organisational level, and MANAGING in today’s complex and everchanging business environment demands constant investment to ensure that one’s knowledge, skills and capabilities enable career advancement.

So says University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) Dean, Professor Nicola Kleyn, who adds, “As a nation with a strong demand for management skills, we need quality MBA and executive training programmes to build and sustain the management and leadership expertise for business, government and society. The MBA remains the most sought after qualification for managers and leaders who know that the degree is about much more than gaining knowledge. It is also about experiences and relationships that enhance management practice.

“In a competitive, globally relevant economy, senior executives and business leadership need the capacity to see the bigger picture, to grasp strategic ramifications and allocate resources based on a general management ethos. For those who do not have the time or inclination to take on the rigours of an MBA, shorter executive programmes fulfil this critical role.”

A quality MBA programme has a relevant, cutting edge curriculum that is locally and globally relevant, exceptional faculty and excellent facilities to ensure that the learning experiences marks the start of a life-changing journey. In addition to building knowledge, skills and capability, MBA students also gain access to a network of high impact individuals. The relationships built between classmates and the networking opportunities afforded by the business school are important benefits to an MBA graduate.

She adds, “One of the biggest criticisms of the South African tertiary education system is that graduates are not equipped with the relevant skills for the modern-day work place. This is particularly stinging when levelled at post-graduate students who have made substantial investments of time and money into their education.

“The MBA curriculum creates an opportunity to become well-rounded and effective managers by exploring the dimensions of strategy, the business environment, functional areas of business and decision-making techniques. At the same time, students will gain a fuller understanding of the foundations for leadership and for business, business integration and global management.”

In choosing a business school she advises prospective students to opt for one that believes in the potential of business to be a force for good. offer a wide blend of general management topics. These include, among others, change management, digital marketing, strategy in the digital age, innovation, policy and governance, leadership and customer experience management.

Lee adds, “The content has been designed to equip managers and business leaders with a full array of knowledge and skills germane to the digital economy, ranging from understanding the major digital technologies to becoming digital strategists, digital marketers, digital transformation and change experts, and many other roles.”

Companies can also create a customised, in-house training programme which addresses their specific needs, in line with their digital and overall business strategies. Working within WBS’s digital business learning framework, clients can create a ‘ladder of learning’ through multiple sequential programmes where delegates from lower programmes can gain credits for higher ones.

This has been a busy year for WBS Executive Education. Among other projects was the launch of a ground-breaking International Executive Development Programme (IEDP) in Development Finance. This was in partnership with BANKSETA, and saw 20 delegates embark on a five-month exploration of new ways to promote financial inclusion in developing countries, with study blocks in Ghana, Tanzania and Brazil. Mid-2019 will see the first IEDP in Digital Business, with some exciting new global study tour destinations.

Closer to home, WBS’s reach has extended to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Following requests from Wits alumni and partners in the region, the school will be rolling out some of its most well-known executive education programmes in Durban in the coming year, including the Management Advancement Programme (MAP), New Managers Programme, the IEDP and Women in Leadership.

“By having a presence in KZN, WBS hopes to contribute to skills development in the burgeoning ocean economy and we hope to introduce our new digital business short courses to our Durban clients in the very near future,” says Lee. “2019 looks set to be an exciting year for WBS Executive Education.”