This practical competency-based 3-day short learning programme in Strategic Management is designed to assist public managers to plan strategically and to direct all resources towards the attainment of strategic objectives.
Strategic management is a process of continuous and repeated efforts to keep an organisation matched to the challenges of its environment. The South African public sector environment is in a constant state of change, requiring that strategic planning processes be repeated at least annually. Strategic management is designed to provide a department with the ability to act systematically and in a critical manner to create excellence in the future. Departments successful in this endeavour invariably achieve their success through mundane execution of the plans, operations, policies, and procedures. They monitor their progress constantly and continually readjust their actions to the environment as it shifts over time. Strategic management focuses on results – service delivery. The mindset of a department must be on achieving success and creating future excellence. Increasingly statutory imperatives such as National Treasury Regulations (2001) requires that government institution develop strategic plans and to integrate them into the budget process.
Strategic management links strategies to operations. Management decisions are made in accordance with and as a result of the strategic plan. This is only as effective as the degree to which the strategic plan and all of its components impact the daily operations of personnel. The department must always be in a simultaneous process of planning and implementing. Implementation revolves around the process of translating strategy to goal to objective to action to results.
Strategic management focuses on results. The mindset of the members of the department must be on achieving success and creating future excellence. Concentrating on obstacles instead of the desired results prevents the desired results from being reached in many cases. You get what you focus on. Departments must focus on their vision of the future, their mission, their goals, their objectives, and their future success. This will be a constant challenge for strategic managers. To do this, strategic managers must react to the changing internal and external environments. Strategic managers will recognise that there are a few critical success factors that will be key to the future creation of excellence within the department.
Strategic management is a process of continuous and repeated efforts to keep an organisation matched to the challenges of its environment. The South African public sector environment is in a constant state of change, requiring that strategic planning processes be repeated at least annually. Strategic management is designed to provide a department with the ability to act systematically and in a critical manner to create excellence in the future. Departments successful in this endeavour invariably achieve their success through mundane execution of the plans, operations, policies, and procedures. They monitor their progress constantly and continually readjust their actions to the environment as it shifts over time. Strategic management focuses on results – service delivery. The mindset of a department must be on achieving success and creating future excellence. Increasingly statutory imperatives such as National Treasury Regulations (2001) requires that government institution develop strategic plans and to integrate them into the budget process.
Strategic management links strategies to operations. Management decisions are made in accordance with and as a result of the strategic plan. This is only as effective as the degree to which the strategic plan and all of its components impact the daily operations of personnel. The department must always be in a simultaneous process of planning and implementing. Implementation revolves around the process of translating strategy to goal to objective to action to results.
Strategic management focuses on results. The mindset of the members of the department must be on achieving success and creating future excellence. Concentrating on obstacles instead of the desired results prevents the desired results from being reached in many cases. You get what you focus on. Departments must focus on their vision of the future, their mission, their goals, their objectives, and their future success. This will be a constant challenge for strategic managers. To do this, strategic managers must react to the changing internal and external environments. Strategic managers will recognise that there are a few critical success factors that will be key to the future creation of excellence within the department.
Purpose of the course
The purpose of the course is to excellent public service departments of the future to abandon the old programmes and methods to create new, more effective ones together with an organisation that meets more closely their vision for the future by taking risks and achieve effective results. Traditional functions are turned into money-makers rather than budget busters. These departments will shift to systems that integrate policy decisions with service delivery systems. Strategic planning is seen as a way to give routine attention to policy-relevant ideas so that the department can take action early in the planning cycle when it may have a greater impact on the way events unfold.
Admission requirements
Admission requirements
Matric (Grade 12) or equivalent.
Learning assumed to be in place
Communications at NQF level4; Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy at NQF 4 & Computer Literacy at NQF level 3.
Course outcomes and assessment criteria
Course outcomes and the associated assessment criteria
Study Unit |
Outcomes |
Assessment Criteria |
| After completion of this course, participants will: | Participant will be assessed on the following criteria: | |
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1. Strategic Management Principles and Process |
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2. Applying Strategic Management: The South African Public Service Context |
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| 3. Regulatory and Statutory Framework (PFMA, GAMAP, GRAP) |
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| 4. The Strategic Management Process |
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| 5. Integrating Strategic Plan into the Budget Process |
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| 6. Strategic Management: Tools, Techniques, and Applications |
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Assessment
Students will have to prove their competence in applying the knowledge, skills and behavior learned during class exercises and group work. Each student must submit an assignment within a specific time-frame.
Method of assessment
The attendance of the first day of class, as well as a total minimum of 80% class attendance, is compulsory in order to be eligible to hand in your PoE /Assignment. After the successful completion of this skills programme and the portfolio of evidence (PoE), learners will receive a certificate of competence.
Additional information
Programme number
H31 100 1
Mode of delivery
Contact
Target group
Public Managers.
Contact us
Contact person name
Prof Stephan van der Merwe
Contact person e-mail
Stephan.VanDerMerwe@nwu.ac.za
Contact person telephone number