For the post-graduate management diploma, a "mini MBA," at the University of Cape
Town, Terri Grant collaborated with faculty from other business courses to develop
assignments that would cross disciplinary boundaries. With their diverse
backgrounds, students found this integrative approach particularly successful. (Editor)
Terri Grant, University of Cape Town
The Professional Communication Unit (PCU) originated in the commerce faculty over
three decades ago with the aim of preparing students for the communicative demands
of their professions in business and industry. Terri Grant, one of the original team of
founder members of the PCU, heads up the unit and convenes a host of short and core
courses to both under- and post-graduate students.
POST–GRADUATE DIPLOMA COLLABORATIVE ASSIGNMENT
"THE GOOD THING about this course, you learn so many new things and it also
introduces you to the business world."
"Especially it was good for me as a foreigner to work with locals—we have a nice
relationship in our workshop and the more you do, the more comfortable you feel."
"Daunting and stressful at first but very helpful and inspiring in the end."
"Powerful, relevant, supportive course—I think the structure was perfect. The lectures
provided the theory and the smaller sessions actually explored these ideas practically
and in context."
"The program is excellent, it allows graduates to easily find out about various
companies and future prospects at these companies."
These are just a few of the course assessment comments about our Business
Communication and Career Development Program. The Commerce faculty at the
University of Cape Town (UCT) offers a one–year, post–graduate management
diploma that is regarded as a mini MBA. This diploma appeals to students from all
over the country, our African neighbors, and a few international students from Europe
who elect to study at UCT for a semester or two.
The make–up of the program thus comprises a disparate group of students, most of
whom are graduates from fields other than commerce (e.g. humanities, social studies,
education, and science). Most of these students have also come from other tertiary
institutions to "finish off" at UCT, the oldest and arguably most prestigious institution
in South Africa.
The demographic student profile ranges across all the historical and ethnic groups
within South (and southern) Africa and is a good mix of both male and female
students, generally in their early twenties. In last semester's class, there were 16 home
languages other than English. Therefore, ESL teaching experience is a prerequisite!
PCU Course Background
The Professional Communication Unit (PCU) has been involved in teaching with this
program for a number of years. The course includes guest lecturers from UCT's
Graduate School of Business and the Careers Office, as well as private consultants. It
comprises a mix of theoretical input lectures and experiential small group workshops
that focus on job literacy and workplace oral, written, and group communication skills
development.
In the past, core course diploma lecturers "did their own thing" with very little
consultation or collaboration with other distinct sections of the diploma. The PCU
course, in particular, was seen as an "extra" and a soft option. With pressure of work
mounting, our assignments bore the brunt. At first, we allowed students to choose
their own proposal or report topics, but because their content knowledge was so
superficial at the start of the course, these documents were poor. After discussions
with core course conveners in marketing, enterprise management, tourism and leisure,
and human resources, we then attempted to provide our own list of topics within each
specialization. This was more promising. However, in 2006 we took the process a few
steps further.
Before the start of the academic year, I approached two of the core course lecturers
whose courses I knew would be running at the same time as PCU. I first asked one for
a list of report or case study topics of interest that he wanted covered in his course,
Entrepreneurial Strategies (ES). Using these, I devised PCU business proposal topics
to match each one of his topics. I then passed this list on to a third lecturer, Business
in Context (BIC), and he devised a third set of essay topics for his course.
Each topic area thus included three separate yet complementary questions that
differed in genre, purpose, and target audience. Thirty topic areas with an "a," "b,"
and "c" for each were posted on the notice board and the Intranet covering various
specializations including sport management, which was introduced in 2006. (See
Appendix for three examples.)
Once the list went up, 16 pre–selected mixed groups were given the chance to select
their first and second choices. Excitement was heightened by this "first–come, first–
served" ruling and a decision was made that no two groups would be allowed to select
the same topic unless the topic was broad enough for groups to negotiate different
focus areas. Once decisions were finalized, groups met to fine fine-tune their topics,
which were vetted by their prospective conveners. The various assignments were due
over a 3–week period. For PCU, each group delivered a group oral presentation based
on its written proposal. Three examiners, two internal from PCU and commerce
faculty and one external from business and industry, examined each group. Each
group also put a package together of short documents or marketing products that the
examiners could consult before and during the presentation. These included
presentation agenda, programs, proposal synopses, PowerPoint slides (paper–based or
on CD), and balance sheets, as well as other marketing paraphernalia.
Their PCU formal written proposals—based on their earlier topic instructions—were
then also handed in, and together these formed the bulk of our course mark. Similarly,
their "matched" essays, reports, or case studies were handed in to their other course
conveners to contribute to their respective core course mark allocations.
Feedback
This collaborative assignment fostered a collegial relationship between conveners that
not only enhanced their knowledge of each others' courses and their overall "fit"
within the diploma but also created less work (after the initial burst of mutual topic
decision–making). There were far fewer delegations of students visiting conveners to
complain about workload, the sometimes contradictory demands of other conveners,
or mixed messages.
Student feedback, as noted earlier, was overwhelmingly positive. They felt supported
by the joint and carefully negotiated approach. This was crucial for the ESL students
in particular. It was noteworthy that mark disparities were not nearly as great as in
past years and there were no failures. PCU, formerly viewed as an "add–on," was
regarded as an integrated tier within the diploma curriculum. Groups were satisfied
with having a "say" in topic choice without having to decide everything from scratch.
They had the time to research one particular area in depth and the opportunity to "re–
engineer" their communication products depending on planned outcomes. Many
grasped the real–life benefits and workplace demands of having to transform
theoretical knowledge into practical deliverables and to determine appropriate
formats, contexts, and products relevant to purpose and target market.
In summary, the intercultural group makeup, cooperative work ethic, clear delineation
of task and outcomes, alignment of course objectives, overall improvement in marks,
and positive course assessments have created a win–win formula that we are happily
repeating this semester.
Appendix: Topic Examples
1a.
1b.
1c.
2a.
2b.
2c:
3a.
3b.
3c.
Entrepreneurial Strategies (ES): Brand South Africa: Has this served to
promote us better? Compare and contrast this with similar initiatives for other
countries, including, for example, Australia.
Professional Communication Unit (PCU): The South African Tourist industry
wishes to build South Africa's brand by analysing what other countries, for
example, Australia, have done. What are our existing shortcomings and what
initiatives could you suggest? Select a strategy and devise a proposal that you
believe will promote us better.
Business in Context (BIC): Selling countries as "brands" has become the new
strategy to increase both tourism and investment into developing markets. But
is it right that countries, peoples, and cultures should in fact be "branded" to
lure foreign capital? Can a culture be labelled and packaged? What are the
benefits and downfalls of "branding" places, cultures, and peoples?
Entrepreneurial Strategies (ES): Using Porter's 5 Forces model, conduct an
analysis of entrepreneurship on the main UCT campus. Conclude with
recommendations to (a) Senate and (b) would–be start–ups.
Professional Communication Unit (PCU): A would–be start–up wishes to
open a particular business on campus and has approached you to draw up a
business proposal to present to Senate outlining the initiative, marketing plan,
benefits, costs, feasibility, and likelihood of success. (Choose the business.)
Business in Context (BIC): From an ethical point of view, the invasion of
private businesses into the educational domain is sometimes very frightening.
Brands are simply invading every aspect of our life, and even when we are at
school we are exposed to them. Is there a moral or ethical problem related to
opening private enterprise in a place of learning?
Entrepreneurial Strategies (ES): Analyse the extent of economic development
from 2 major recent sporting events (e.g. Olympic Games, Soccer World
Cup). What can we learn from these two cases and how can lessons be applied
to the 2010 South Africa World Cup?
Professional Communication Unit (PCU): The advent of the World Cup in
South Africa brings with it a myriad of business challenges and opportunities.
As a South African entrepreneur, how could you take advantage of this sports
event? Design a business proposal outlining your concept, product, or service
to the organisers and include how your proposal will contribute to the success
of such an international event.
Business in Context (BIC): The World Cup is meant to uplift the poor in
South Africa while at the same time serving the needs of wealthy foreign
sports fans. How have major sports events brought poverty alleviation in the
past to other countries, and how have they also failed in this mission? How
can a South African company ethically benefit from the World Cup?