REGULATION FOR MASTER OF COMMERCE DEGREE IN STRATEGY AND INNOVATION (BS21)

 

Duration	2 years
Minimum Credit load	360
Maximum Credit Load:	430
Maximum MBKs Credit Load	288
ZNQF Level	9
1. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Entry requirements: A minimum of a good first degree in Business Management or equivalent and two (2) years post graduate work experience and a minimum degree class of 2.1.

2. OBJECTIVES (PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAMME)

2.1 The Master of Commerce in Strategy and Innovation at the Midlands State University is a two-year programme for students with an undergraduate background in accounting, management, human resources and other equivalent qualifications. The programme is for students interested in careers in all facets of strategic management and business innovation. The programme provides an opportunity to obtain a more comprehensive foundation in strategic management and added knowledge in specific business-related areas.

2.2 The programme aims to develop sound conceptual, technical, analytical and communication skills that are required to succeed in the strategic management and corporate governance. To this end the programme employs a rigorous case analysis approach, which requires students to exercise their analytical abilities and develop effective verb and written communication skills.

2.3 The programme also aim to instil a deep appreciation and respect for the crucial role managers play in a free enterprise economy and ever-changing business environment.

 

3. 3. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

3.1 To qualify for entry into the Master of Commerce in Strategy and Innovation degree programme a student should have a good Honours degree in management, accounting, human resources management and/or other tertiary qualification approved by the Department.

4.PROGRAMME CHARACTERISTICS

 

4.1 Areas of study:	Business Innovation, New venture creation, Digital transformation strategies
4.2 Specialist Focus:	Innovation; Leadership and creativity; Corporate Innovation; Global technoprenuership and Data Analytics.
4.3 Orientation:	Training people with potential to get into Executive Management levels and board leadership.
4.4 Distinctive Features:	The programme is for students interested in careers in all facets of strategic management. The programme provides an opportunity to obtain a more comprehensive foundation in strategic management and added knowledge in specific business-related areas.

 

5. CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND FURTHER EDUCATION

 

5.1 Employability:	Consultancy, academia, research, Operations Management, Executive management positions and boards.
5.2 Further Studies:	Doctoral studies in strategic management, Innovation management and business leadership.

 

6. 6. PROGRAMME DELIVERY

Formal examinations will normally be held at the end of each semester.

6.1 For a student to be admitted to the examinations they must have:

6.1.1 Satisfactorily attempted approved modules of study including submission of required written assignments and term papers.

6.1.2 Attended compulsory classes.

6.1.3 Participated in prescribed seminars, tutorials and practical classes.

6.1.4 Paid the prescribed fees in accordance with the General Regulations.

6.2 Formal examinations will normally be written papers, but in some cases the examiner may test the candidate orally.

6.3 Continuous assessment shall account for 40% of the overall assessment, while the final examination will account for 60% of the overall assessment.

6.4 The aggregate pass mark shall be 50% and the candidate must have obtained at least 50% in the examination.

7. LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the programme students will be able to:

• Create new businesses and improve existing processes through application of acquired strategy and innovation expertise.
• Advance expertise in the design and construction of innovative ideas and products that meet the needs of enterprises and economies both locally and internationally.
• Exhibit advanced practical and theoretical understanding of technology in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of corporate strategy.
• Use understanding of modern businesses operations in fostering strategic improvements as well as new venture creations.
• Apply the techniques used in strategy and innovation in order to design strategic plans, business proposals, and construct innovative strategies and products.
• Utilise key intellectual capital which includes Intellectual Property and organizational

8. 8. GENERAL PROVISIONS

A student requires 360 credits to complete this programme.

9. 9. SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATIONS
10. PROVISION FOR PROGRESSION

 A student shall progress automatically from one level to the other even carrying the modules

from the previous level.

11. 11. DEGREE WEIGHTING CLASSIFICATION

For purposes of degree classification, the parts of the degree programme will be classified as follows:

Level 1 Semester 1 and 2 50%

Level 2 50%

13.  PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

Level 1 Semester 1

Code	Module Description	Credits
MSI730	Strategic Management and Innovation	18
MSI731	Global Technopreneurship	18
MSI734	Intellectual Property Law	18
MSI732	Innovation and Commercialization	18
MSI831	Product and Service Innovation	18

Level 1 Semester 2

Code	Module Description	Credits
MSI736	Sustainable and Responsible Innovation	18
MSI739	Digital Transformation Strategies	18
MSI735	Innovation and Design Thinking	18
MSI737	Research Methods	18
MSI738	New Venture Creation and Simulation	18

Level 2 Semester 1

Code	Module Description	Credits
MSI832	Leadership and Managerial Creativity	18
MSI834	Knowledge, Innovation and Technological Change	18
MSI830	Strategic Project Management	18
MSI833	Corporate Financial Strategy	18
MSI835	Business Model Innovation	18

Level 2 Semester 2

Code	Module Description	Credits
MSI836	Data Analytics	18
MSI837	Dissertation	90

MSI730 Strategic Management and Innovation

This course intends students to comprehend innovation strategically as a powerful means of competitive differentiation, enabling firms to penetrate new markets and achieve higher margins. As students race to better understand strategic management and innovation, a wide range of work will include the following topics: environmental analysis, strategic management schools of thought/perspectives, functional strategy, business strategy, corporate strategy and innovation, leadership and innovation, core competences and innovation, patents, and standards and innovation.

MSI731 Global Technoprenuership

This module equips students with knowledge and understanding of the processes involved in new venture creation, growth and management in foreign countries. The module takes into account the peculiarities of different economies, societies and regulatory environments together with the opportunities and challenges the environments expose to global technopreneurs.

MSI732 Innovation and Commercialisation

the module explores the role innovation plays in development of new products and services, and in the improvement of existing ones within a technological context. areas to be covered include the appreciation of the commercial, financial and marketing aspects of innovation projects, the requirements for successful commercialisation, funding of commercialisation as well as valuing intellectual property.

MSI734 Intellectual Property Law

The module exposes students to the treatment of laws relating to patents, trademarks, confidential information, designs and copyright. These concepts are used to examine the protection measures provided by the law in regard to ideas, inventions, information and other forms of creative effort. The module explores how law balances interests and protects investment, taking into account public welfare and technological developments.

MSI735 Innovation and Design Thinking

the module aims to equip students with creative strategies in designing business processes. design thinking in business uses the designer’s sensibility and methods to match people’s needs with what is technologically feasible. the module uses a set tools and skills that inform and facilitate the innovation process, from visual tools like sketches, mind maps and prototypes to mental processes like brainstorming, building on the ideas of others, and creating scenarios.

MSI736 Sustainable and Responsible Innovation

This module is designed to give students a comprehensive understanding of the sustainability challenges facing organisations and to highlight business risks and opportunities emerging as a consequence of global environmental change. The module seeks to use frame-breaking approaches to problem-solving and the development of organisational strategies. It provides a rigorous conceptual understanding of sustainable and responsible innovation, as well as an understanding of the practical challenges for innovation management.

MSI737 Research Methods

Business research concepts and methods, the traditional and scientific methods, the research process, problem definition, research design, questionnaire construction and administration, sampling basis, sources of research data, collection and interpretation, research application and uses, data presentation and analysis, ethics, and research proposal will be covered.

MSI738 New Venture Creation and Simulation

The module equips students with a comprehensive understanding of the entrepreneurial process and the development of new ventures. It combines theory and experiential assignments to introduce the principles of creativity and innovation. Areas covered include the role of innovation for growth and wealth creation, effective innovation processes and the associated management issues.

MSI739 Digital Transformation Strategies

The module provides research-based insights on disruptive innovations and what it takes to build and manage successful business models in this complex era Disruption is a force that is changing the corporate landscape, and organisations must transform at a rapid pace to meet the demands of digital.
This unprecedented disruption is happening fast, as many well-known incumbents will attest. Succeeding in this volatile environment requires not only a thorough understanding of what disruption is and how to deal with it but also the knowledge of how to disrupt others.

MSI 830 Strategic Project Management

This module seeks to provide solutions to strategic projects management challenges experienced in various organizations. Course participants will be exposed to the “business side” of strategic project management, including how to make fact-based decisions about the short and long-term projects, how to create and foster a project culture that works to achieve rapid outcomes, and how to work within the organization to break down communications barriers and create relationships that are vital to the strategic project environment. Topics to be covered include project strategy, strategic planning for project management, project management theories, project management approaches, project monitoring and evaluation.

MSI831 Product and Service Innovation  

This module examines the importance of new product and service development to the achievement of an organization’s objectives and how the process of innovation can be managed. Areas covered include new product development process, strategic opportunity identification, how to generate new product concepts and ideas, mapping customer perceptions, segmentation, product positioning, forecasting market demand, product design, market entry strategies, and testing.

MSI832 Leadership and Managerial Creativity

This module focuses on ways to manage creativity through effective leadership and teambuilding by introducing flexible and iterative innovation management process models. Leadership theories and concepts will improve the ability to apply the theories through critical thinking, and developing leadership skills is a major focus in the module.

MSI833 Corporate Financial Strategy

The module focuses on financing, investment, and risk management decisions of corporations in creating shareholder value. The module analyses the mixture of debt versus equity decision in detail considering the impact of taxes, agency problems, and asymmetric information. It analyses the different types of financial products such as callable and convertible debt and financial derivatives. Different methods of raising external capital and payout policies such as dividends and share repurchases will be covered.

MSI834 Knowledge, Innovation and Technological Change

This module aims to build an appreciation of the importance of innovation and to build an awareness of the role of technology, both strategically and operationally, within organisations.  The module specifically looks at the opportunities enabled by technology.

MSI835 Business Model Innovation

This module moves away from the heroics to take a scholarly view of what is involved in business model innovation drawing lessons from new business models exemplified by firms such as AirBnB and Uber. The students will have an opportunity to learn how technological changes and their implications on new ways of creating value proposition.

MSI 836 Data Analytics

The module will build upon your hard-won experience and prepare you for the challenges of management and big data. Covering fields including data design, data handling, and decision-making, An understanding of how data-driven models can improve your ability to make decisions in a fast-paced and uncertain world, and the ability to use modelling to predict future trends.

MSI837 Dissertation/Research Project

Students will carry on with their independent research in a business discipline area of choice started in the previous semester. Students will work hand in hand with a designated academic advisor who will mentor the student throughout the research process. Frequent consultations between the student and their mentor will substitute lectures and tutorials as held in other modules.