In this module, we take a look at what you need to do to succeed on this programme and work effectively in the administrative function of an organization. On completion of this module, you should be able to:-

• Explain your role in achieving personal effectiveness in a business environment
• Take charge of your own learning and development
• Set clear goals for yourself
• Manage time more effectively
• Think and act proactively in a variety of situations
• Manage stress in the workplace

Time Management is one of the most important self-management skills. Time is a scarce resource. It cannot be replaced and it cannot be reversed. Time cannot be bought or sold, borrowed or stolen, stocked up or saved, manufactured, reproduced or modified. All we can do is make the best possible use of it! On completion of this module, you should be able to:-

• Explain the principles of time management
• Reflect on their own use of time
• Reflect on their team / section / department’s use of time
• Explain the relationship between time and productivity
• Avoid time wasters
• Use the time management process to management own and tem time effectively
• Use time management tools (diary, task lists, weekly planner, monthly planners and work plans)
• Implement work plans
• Monitor work plans

One of the roles of all managers is to build strong interpersonal relationships with people within and outside the organisation. People are complex beings and it takes time and effort to build and manage workplace relationships. In this module, you will learn how to go about building and managing workplace relationships with diverse team members. On completion of this module, you should be able to:-

• Explain the need for professional workplace relationships
• Discuss diversity and the impact it has in the workplace
• Display a cultural awareness when dealing with subordinates, colleagues, suppliers and customers
• Describe the role and responsibilities of individuals in creating a harmonious work environment
• Describe how to manage workplace relationships
• Explain the role of an organisation in managing diversity

In particular, this module covers:-

• The difference between personal and professional workplace relationships
• Setting boundaries for workplace relationships
• Differences and similarities
• Cultural differences
• The role of organisations in managing diversity
• The role of the individual in creating a harmonious work environment

Morals refer to our personal set of belief about what is right or wrong. They affect the decisions we make and the way we behave. Morals help a person in choosing a course of action whenever he or she is in a dilemma. Our moral compass is our “conscience” that guides us in the right direction. Morals or ethics are not only a personal affairs. Given the recent crisis in the financial sector and widespread incidence of corruption, ethics have become a central focus when discussing leadership in both the private and public sector.  On completion of this module, you should be able to:-

• Explain the links between morals and ethics
• Discuss the concept of a moral compass
• Describe the role of a code of conduct in a work environment
• Uphold the code within a work team
• Identify ethical issues in an organization

In this module, you will learn how to process different types of information so that you can use it to make decisions, solve problems, respond to customers, write reports or make presentations in your day-to-day work. You will learn about business writing in Business Communication 2 and Oral Communication in Business Communications 3. On completion of this module, you should be able to:-

• Conduct basic research
• Read a variety of texts using a variety of techniques
• Interpret a variety of texts using a variety of techniques
• Analyse information
• Summarise information
• Use information from texts

As we all know from personal experience, most business communication is indigestible. The main reason for this is that there are no globally agreed standards of clarity and readability: everyone’s doing their own thing, and the result is a mix of different styles, layouts and structures. In this module, you will learn how to communicate effectively in the business environment: You will learn how to write business reports and other business texts in clear, unambiguous, plain language. On completion of this module, you should be able to:-

• Understand that language has certain features and conventions that can be manipulated
• Write for a specific purpose and audience
• Write effectively on a range of topics
• Produce cohesive and coherent texts for a range of business contexts
• Write creatively on a range of topics
• Respond in writing to a range of texts
• Draft and edit your own writing for fluency and correctness
• Improve your own writing
• Produce the final version of business communications e.g. reports

In this module we learn about effective oral communication. In other words how to speak and listen effectively interpersonal communication with your customers, colleagues, supervisors and managers. On completion of this module, you should be able to:-

• Speak effectively in formal and informal workplace situations
• Develop an effective business presentation
• Use visual aids to enhance the presentation
• Deliver a business presentation effectively

This module is the heart of this qualification. It helps in the understanding of the various administrative systems of an organization, how they are designed, how to best use them and to help others to implement these systems. The qualifying learner is capable of:-

• Controlling and dealing with confidential information and documents
• Controlling and evaluating ordering and distribution of office stationery
• Implementing control measures with individuals
• Understanding the various administrative systems required by an organisation
• Developing and updating administrative systems in a specific business environment
• Being able to develop systems to keep administrative information at the required level of confidentiality
• Being able to develop policies and procedures on administrative systems and write them into a manual.

Organisations make use of external service providers to supply inputs (raw material, energy, subject matter expertise) into the business. Since these service providers can have a major impact on the organisation’s outputs (goods or services), it is important that service providers are carefully selected and managed. In this module, you will learn how service providers are identified, selected, contracted and managed. On completion of this module, you should be able to:-

• Identify appropriate service providers
• Explain the process for contracting service providers
• Monitor service providers against the agreed project plan
• Manage service providers
• Manage service providers who do not deliver on a contract

This module introduces people to financial concepts from both an individual and national perspective. Its ultimate purpose is to empower you to:

• Find the inner courage to believe that you are not a victim of circumstances but that you
• Better understand certain financial concepts and terms so that you can make intelligent choices.
• Manage your finances through better budgeting
• In addition, we introduce you to various instruments that can help you achieve your financial goals and help you
• to hone your mathematical skills so that you will be able to make your own financial calculations

On completion of this module, you should be able to:-

• Plan a personal budget
• Manage a personal budget
• Calculate simple and compound interest
• Explain concepts like inflation, exchange rate and purchasing power

Practical mathematics has been a human activity for as far back as written records go. Through the use of logical reasoning mathematics has evolved from counting, calculating, measurement, and the study of the shapes and motions of physical objects. Today, mathematics is used throughout the world as an essential tool in many fields, including natural science, engineering, medicine, and the social sciences. On completion of this module, you should be able to:-

• Ascertain how units of measure and speed and acceleration will assist us in planning and scheduling various work-related tasks;

• Determine how to effectively apply 2- and 3 dimensional shapes and scale diagram principles to aid us in effectively utilizing space available to us in the working environment;

• Discover how to calculate international time zones and pin-point locations for potential international business partners or clients to allow for more effective and optimal scheduling of our workforce

In the workplace today, changes take place very rapidly. To take advantage of these changes, decisions need to be made very quickly. Information is vital and must be collected and processed very quickly so that managers can make informed decisions. They need to understand what is going on for their customers and in their organisation. Statistics is the crystal ball that can help to explain what happened in the past and what is likely to happen in future. Statistics is the science that tries to make sense of large amounts of seemingly unconnected data and helps to draw the line between the many dots of numbers. The data collected in a statistical study can be used to answer questions such as:

• How can we improve customer satisfaction?
• Which customers are most likely to buy our products?
• What are the most frequent types of requests?
• How many staff are we going to need in the future, at any given day at any given hour?

On completion of this module, you should be able to:-

• Resolve problems by using statistical data
• Present statistical data in graphical formats to ensure effective problem resolution
• Apply experimental and theoretical probability

In this module, you will learn about budgeting within your own area of responsibility. We will look at the process of creating a budget and monitoring and controlling actual expenditure against a budget. On completion of this module, you should be able to:-

• Explain the concept of budgeting with reference to your own area of responsibility
• Create a budget for your own area of responsibility
• Present the budget
• Monitor and control actual expenditure against the budget

In particular, this module covers:-

• Types of budgets
• Importance of budgeting
• Zero based budgeting and incremental budgeting
• Budgeting techniques
• Monitoring expenditure against budgets

There is a very big focus on teams and teamwork in the world of work right now. Many organizations function entirely on cross-functional project teams. It is important for you to be able to function effectively as part of a team. In order to do this, you need to understand what teams are and how they work. On completion of this module, you should be able to identify:-

• The building blocks of effective teams
• The role of team members
• The role of the team leader
• Explain the impact of groups dynamics
• Induct a new team member into the team
• Manage team and individual performance
• Motivate a team
• Build an effective team
• Manage conflict in teams

In particular, this module covers:-

• Difference between groups and teams
• Characteristics of effective teams and team leaders
• Group dynamics
• Individual and team performance management
• Conflict and conflict resolution in teams
• Motivating teams
• Developing teamwork skills
• Building an effective team

Meetings are a very important part of all organisations. They are the place for people to discuss matters of common concern, share information, make plans, take decisions, solve problems and report back on tasks.  In your workplace, you will spend a lot of time participating in meetings. Or depending on your job, you will be expected to organise and prepare for meetings, take notes in them and do the follow -up work after them.  So you need to know how to make meetings as effective and useful as possible. In this module, you will learn how to plan, organise, conduct, follow up and review meetings.

• Plan a meeting
• Prepare for a meeting
• Conduct a structured meeting
• Deal with differing views and opinions during the meeting
• Record meetings
• Distribute the records of meetings
• Follow up on action plans after meetings