Faculties & Programmes

Diploma in Company Direction

Diploma in Company Direction (SAQA)

NQF 7

The ever-changing world demands more and more of directors.  Designed by the Graduate Institute of Management and Technology, the Diploma in Company Direction has Director Development as a central theme.

Admission requirements
Candidates are required to have a postgraduate degree or the equivalent and currently hold an executive level position or have been earmarked for such a position.  Candidates who do not have postgraduate qualifications must hold an executive position with approximately 5 years experience and GIMT will assess the candidate's suitability for the programme.

Duration
This programme is designed to run for a period of 24 months from commencement, combining initiative learning and workshop interaction.  Each programme is structured to include an initial half-day introduction session followed by 4 workshop blocks.
This programme can be conducted as in-company programme which will be highly customised to meet the requirements of each company or as an open programme.

Programme Overview
It is often assumed that directors know their duties and responsibilities. In reality these are almost always learned in an experiential and haphazard way.
Directors should be aware of the latest management techniques, frameworks and concepts to enable them to contribute more fully to the governance of the increasingly complex modern business organisation.
The issue of corporate governance is currently under intense scrutiny. The related recommendations of the King Committee have been incorporated into the programme content to ensure awareness of these issues and principles.

Programme Objectives
The programme is specially designed to develop both existing and potential board members to:

  • Be fully aware of their duties and responsibilities as directors of their corporation and of issues relating to corporate governance;
  • Be fully aware of the legal and financial environment in which their organisation operates;
  • Be able to assess the effectiveness of their board and of suggesting and implementing ways of improving effectiveness;
  • Be skilled in the functional areas of strategic and financial management - critical areas of competence for effective performance at board level;
  • Agree and implement realistic short and long-term goals;
  • Work in teams with their fellow directors at board meetings.

Programme Faculty
The programme is facilitated by an extensive faculty of highly qualified lecturers and top business leaders.
GIMT has identified a number of persons who are experienced in their focus areas as well as having an ability to impart their knowledge and experience in conjunction with the best academic perspectives.

Certification
Successful delegates who meet the academic requirements of the course with be awarded a Diploma in Company Direction.  This Diploma will be issued by The Graduate Institute of Management and Technology.

Programme Schedule for 2010

Programme Outline

Module 1
Strategy Formulation
(1 day)

  • The new arena - forces for change
  • New imperatives for SA organisations
  • Role of the strategist
  • Review of tools
  • Why some firms outperform others
  • New thinking about strategy
  • Toolkit for tomorrow
  • Integrating strategy, leadership and change

Module 2
Competitiveness Studies
(1 day)

  • What causes competitive performance
  • Old vs. new economy practices
  • Understanding the five drivers of sustainable competitiveness
  • Determining and inhibiting stagnation
  • The War for Talent
  • HR for strategic advantage
  • Measuring organisation competitiveness

Module 3
Corporate Governance
(2 days)

  • Introduction
  • Regulators
  • Registration of companies
  • SARS
  • USA, UK, Europe, Commonwealth, Australasia
  • King I 1994 and King II 2002
  • Role and function of the board
  • Role of directors
  • Role of committees
  • Board charter / Board evaluation
  • Improving board effectiveness
  • Public Prosecutor / Impact of Commissions of Enquiry
  • Corporate Governance in SMME’s
  • Case Studies:
  • Leisurenet, UNIFER, Enron, Pick ‘n Pay, Implala Platinum

Module 4
Labour Law
(1 day)

  • Employment Equity Act No 55 of 1998
  • Labour Relations Act No 66 of 1995
  • Basic Conditions of Employment Act No 75 of 1997

Module 5
Legal Frameworks
(1 day)

  • Corporate Law / Common Law
  • Companies Act – review Act No 61 of 1973
  • PFMA No 1 of 1999
  • National Environmental Act No 107 of 1998
  • Banks Act / Annual Procedures Act

Module 6
Finance and Accounting
(1 day)

  • Understanding finance at board level
  • Accounting / Auditing standards
  • Non audit services
  • Financial reporting
  • Management accounting
  • Dividend policy and gearing
  • SAICA

Module 7
Mergers and Acquisitions
(1 day)

  • Reasons for Buying and Selling
  • Stages of an acquisition
  • Warranties and Indemnities
  • Due Diligence / Advisors / Negotiations
  • Valuations / Price
  • Items not on balance sheet
  • Closing the deal

Module 8
Risk and Ethics Management
(1 day)

  • Risk for reward
  • Risk management process
  • Risk management strategies
  • Risk, governance and strategy
  • Role and function of Internal Audit
  • Case examples

Module 9
Ethics and Integrity
(1 day)

  • Ethics and integrity
  • Organisational politics
  • Application in your company

Module 10
Strategy Implementation
(1 day)

  • Using the ValuePlan™ framework to shape strategic conversation
  • Defining the business purpose
  • Building an effective business model
  • Setting goals and getting results
  • Conducting effective reviews

Module 11
Integrated Sustainability Reporting
(1 day)

  • Safety, Health and Environment
  • Black Economic Empowerment
  • Human Capital
  • Impact of HIV / AIDS
  • Handling the Media
  • Triple Bottom Line Reporting

Module 12
JSE and Listing
(1 day)

  • Listing requirements / How to list / When to list and when not to
  • Cost of listing
  • Role of sponsoring brokers
  • Attorneys / Merchant Bankers
  • FSB
  • Insider Trading Act No 135 of 1998
  • Investor relations

Review Period
(half day)

  • Bring transgressors of the law to justice
  • Overcoming Racism
  • Increasing Foreign direct Investment

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