Course Descriptors - Senior Management

SERVICES SETA SMDP (PGDipMP)

Module 1: Foundations of Systemic Leadership Practice

Participants explore the foundations of management practice within organizational teams. The Module takes an action learning approach to implementation and value creation on the operations level and gives particular attention to efficiency and resource utilization. It uses systems thinking ideas to promote understanding and appreciation of diversity and multiple perspectives within teams and the need for transformation and economic empowerment. The learning process draws on the ideas of:

1. action learning and systems thinking;
2. personal assessment and personal mastery;
3. teams and team dynamics;
4. developing and leading teams; and
5. understanding and implementing strategy.

Participants use action learning projects in their organization to apply their learning to the diagnosis and improvement of their own management practices.

Module 2: Designing and Managing Organisation Value Streams

Building on the learning outcomes of Module 1, this course develops a more in-depth understanding of the value streams of an organization. It explores the operational activities that make up value streams and how these contribute to customer value and sustainability. Its primary focus is on:

1. productivity;
2. managing budgets;
3. cost management;
4. performance measurement; and
5. delivering customer value.

It considers these within the wider context of strategy implementation, corporate governance and ethics.

Participants use action learning projects in their organization to apply their learning to the diagnosis and improvement of their own management practices.

Module 3: Wealth Creation through Innovation and Strategic Thinking

The course builds on the learning outcomes of Module 2 to include transformation and entrepreneurship. The Module develops a wider appreciation of the strategic imperatives of transformation, EE and BEE. It considers in detail how these strategic imperatives can be translated and implemented in the operational activities of the value streams of an organization.

It explores ways in which transformation and diversity can promote entrepreneurship. It takes a project management and team approach to designing and implementing improvements that promote transformation, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Participants use action learning projects in their organization to apply their learning to the diagnosis and improvement of their own management practices.

Module 4: Integration of Learning and Management Practice

In this course, participants use the models developed in Modules 1, 2 and 3 to undertake a major internal consultancy project in their organization. This is an action learning project in which participants focus on:

1. consolidating and synthesizing their learning;
2. applying their learning to add significant value in their organization; and
3. integrating their learning into their management and organizational practices.