Curriculum

[BUSA 5096] Group Dynamics

This course develops skills with regard to team building, group and team interaction; with issues of diversity and diversity management being emphasised. Group Dynamic theory is interspersed with interactive learning. This course also serves as an introduction to adulthood and the philosophy of life-long learning; the principles of interactive and participatory learning processes.

[BUSA 5093] Principles of Human Resources

This course develops an understanding of the human aspects of business management and work organisation. It also provides insight into the factors influencing attitudes in the workplace; as well as individual and group behaviour in organisations. Strategies for handling, designing and supervising work; communication in organisations; managing change; work performance levels; organisation design; and managing diversity in organisations are also covered. The Human Resources Management (HRM) module is divided into HRM, Industrial Relations (IR) and Diversity Management.

[BUSA 5092] Principles of Economics

This course will give an overview of business and the economy; as well as an analysis of consumer demand and production costs in competitive environments. It will also develop an understanding of pricing strategies in the micro-economic environment introduction to the political economy of South Africa and internationally; concepts in micro- and macro-economics; alternative economic policy frameworks; future scenarios and challenges for the South African political economy. The domestic macro-economic environment will be assessed in terms of the economy and fiscal and monetary policy. International trade and exchange rate policy and economic growth and development within an international macro-economic environment will be discussed. This includes an integrated, social-scientific analysis of the global, Africa and South African environments of business.

[BUSA 5091] Principles of Accounting and Finance

The purpose of this course is to develop candidates’ skills with regard to fundamental principles in the broad area of Financial Management. At the end of this course, candidates are empowered with managerial accounting and financial management skills. Topics covered include financial statements; break-even analysis; financial statement analysis; cost allocation methods; the concept of ‘the time value of money’; share valuation; investment criteria; project analysis; and short-term finance and planning. The knowledge underpinning the above-mentioned outcome is: The sequence of events in preparing financial statements; the use of financial statements’ frameworks in conducting break-even analysis and setting business performance targets; the role that ‘time value of money’ plays in promoting the efficient allocation of scarce resources (mostly money) within an organization; how strategic planning for an entity integrates with financial management; and the link between financial management and performance management.

[BUSA 5094] Principles of Marketing

This course introduces candidates to the marketing concept, development and techniques with regard to market research; market segmentation; product strategy; distribution strategy; promotion and price strategy; development and implementation of marketing plans.

[BUSA 5095] Principles of Operations

The ability to use good judgement in any type of operating environment is important for service or manufacturing, through to continuous-type operations. A system view of operations; the concept of productivity; total quality control (TQC); operations planning and control; time-based competition; inventory control and operations strategy will be included.

[BUSA 5090] Principles of Strategic Management

The purpose is to give candidates a basic understanding of the role of strategy in an organization; as well as issues that affect competition locally and globally. Basic tools for the strategic analysis of the external and internal environment of the organization will be presented.

[BUSA 5099] Strategic Golf & Business Network

Wits Business School (WBS) is once again offering this unique business simulation programme as part of MAP 2006/2007/2008/2009 programmes. The programme addresses and sensitises managers and business leaders enrolled on the Management Advancement Programme to the many parallels that exist between golf and business. It also provides 25 hours of intensive tuition around issues of wellness and personal management.

This is divided between hands-on practical instruction from PGA professionals and cutting-edge lectures from leading SA experts on such subjects as stress management; risk analysis; mind control; exercise and nutrition; communication; networking and ethics. It focuses on leadership through self-knowledge and team-building; and encourages students to identify and address the dysfunctions in both their personal and business lives in order to achieve top performance in the workplace.

The lectures take place in the Wits Golf Academy (Sports Administration Conference Centre) which is situated on the West Campus off Raikes Road, and the practical sessions on the adjacent Wits Golf Academy driving range. All equipment, such as clubs and balls, are provided and no previous experience of golf is required. The programme runs over three days after the final MAP examinations and was rated as “extremely valuable” by those students who attended in 2007/8.

In addition to the focus being around the intersections between the game of golf and business, the aim of using the game of golf for business simulation, was also to demystify, if not to transform, the game of golf by allowing and providing those managers, directors and senior executives from disadvantaged backgrounds, attending the programme with exposure and basic knowledge of the game of golf. As the case is elsewhere, in South Africa the game of golf has been deeply affected by issues of gender and race and one of the aims with the Strategic Golf Programme is to demystify the game and de-racialise it by allowing people who will obviously not get involved in the game of golf as it is perceived as the rich-white man’s sport.