Business Management & Administration

·Covered in this Diploma Program include:

Module 1 - Planning and Forecasting

·Business objectives, planning and forecasting in business, policies, profit

·The business plan; competition, location, knowledge, skills, market potential.

·The business environment, public, private and trading enterprises, types of businesses, brands

·Sole-proprietor businesses, partnership firms, limited liability companies, directors

Module 2 - Capital & the Financing of Businesses

·Common financial terms, the meaning of capital, funds forecasts

·Raising capital for sole-proprietor businesses, partnerships and companies, shares

·Income, expenditure, overheads, depreciation, cash and funds flows

·Control by management over working capital, cash, debtors, stocks, creditors, liquidity

Module 3 - Factors to be Considered in Starting a Business

·Initial capital needed, reserves, capital and the ownership of a business

·Assessing market potential, market research, test marketing, competition

·Using knowledge and experience, location of businesses, products and customers, special facilities

·Factors in taking over a business, its real value, goodwill, sale agreement, renting premises, leases

Module 4 - Business Organisation & Communication in Business Management

·Delegation of responsibility, benefits of delegation, business expansion, re-organising the business Spans of control, types of organisational structure, organisation charts

·Internal, external, vertical and horizontal communications, communication channels, two-way flow

·Effect of good communications on employees, managers and customers, effective communication

Module 5 - Budgets, Budgeting & Pricing Policy

·Budgeting, budgetary control, purposes and importance, preparation, limiting factors

·Sales budgets, production budgets, other sub-budgets, the master budget

·Pricing policy and factors effecting prices set, costs, demand, competitors, buyers, the product

·Standards in business, how and why they are set, ideal and attainable standards

Module 6 - Credit Control and Discounts

·The meaning and forms of credit, the importance of credit to vendors and customers, boosting sales

·Dangers in allowing credit, bad debts, how they arise, what they mean, provisions for bad debts

·Methods of credit control, credit ratings, bank references, trade inquiries, setting credit limits

·Trade, quantity, regular custom, prompt payment and cash discounts, why allowed, dangers involved

Module 7 - HR and the Management of Personnel

·Internal and external recruitment, job analysis and descriptions, advertising, application forms

·Employment interviews, aims, preparation, planning, conduct, appointments, terms of employment

·Manager and employee relations, training, controlling, remuneration policy

·Motivation, building loyalty, human resources, discipline, counselling, resignations, retirements

Module 8 - Stock and Inventory Control & Principles of Purchasing

·Importance of good stock management, inventory costs, setting stock levels, correct storage

·Periodic and continuous stocktaking, valuation of stocks and work in progress, stock records

·The importance of skilful buying, factors in choosing suppliers, negotiating with suppliers

·Sizes and frequencies of orders, placing orders, receiving procedures, order and receipts documents

Module 9 - Sales Management, Marketing & Advertising

·The importance of salesmanship, the selling task, wants, needs, buying motives, the benefits of products

·The sales procedure, place, seller, product, buyer, sales personnel, consumers and commercial buyers

·Responsibilities of sales and marketing managers, sales records, the sales office, the sales team

·Advertising, publicity, sales promotion, special offers, window and interior displays, regular customers

Module 10 - Production Management and Industrial Administration

·Methods of production, design and technical matters, production policy and range, resources

·Factory location, types of buildings, factory layout and design, supervision of the workforce

·Machinery, plant and equipment, materials handling, production planning and control

·Costing systems, standard costs and variances, cost at different levels of production

Module 11 - Financial Accounting

·The need for complete accounting records, double-entry bookkeeping, debit and credit entries

·The books of account, the ledger, cash, sales, purchases and returns books, posting and balancing

·The trial balance, accounting concepts, manufacturing and trading accounts, profit & loss accounts

·Balance sheets, profit or loss made, accounting ratios, analysing financial account

Module 12 - Office Organisation and Control

·The functions of the office, centralisation, decentralisation, office location, planning, office layouts

·The right office environment, lighting, toilets, walls, floors, furniture, machinery and equipment

·The prevention of accidents, office supervision, categories of office personnel, ensuring harmony

·Computer system management, programs, databases, choosing new systems, IT security