Module Guide

Department of Business Management

Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences

WELCOME TO THE

DEPARTMENT
OF BUSINESS
MANAGEMENT
2022

EB121
INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Lecturers : Dr S Watson; Dr A Nelmapius; Ms E Kobese; Ms L Stear

& Mr A Peters (George campus)
Copyright reserved
 1

INTRODUCTION
 INTRODUCTION
Welcome to EB121: Introduction to Business Management and Entrepreneurship. We trust that
completing this course will be a wonderful learning experience. Thank you in advance for your
contribution to making it a meaningful experience for all.

The overall outcome of this module is to equip you with scientifically based Business Management
knowledge which will enable you to establish, manage and grow your own small business enterprises.

Module introduction

In EB121 you will be acquainted with the fundamentals of Business Management,

as well as the practical application of business knowledge as it relates, for
example, to Entrepreneurship. This means that you will be introduced to a
diverse range of issues relating to Entrepreneurship and Business Management,
small business enterprises and their environments, entrepreneurial actions and
the establishment of enterprises.
 2

LECTURERS DETAILS
 LECTURERS DETAILS For this reason, there may be a delay in response,
especially if queries are raised
after working hours and over weekends.
Your lecturers will be available on email: We ask that you respect this, and in turn your
lecturers will avoid communicating with you in the
[Link]@[Link]; evenings and over weekends, unless this is in
[Link]@[Link]; relation to an urgent academic matter.
[Link]@[Link]
[Link]@[Link]
[Link]@[Link]

As indicated above, all formal communication

related to this module and other academic issues
will be via email.
 If you have a query about a module, the person
LECTURERS DETAILS For this reason, there may be a delay in response, you need to contact is the lecturer responsible for
especially if queries are raised that module. Please do not direct your query to
after working hours and over weekends. any other lecturer or the HOD. If you have a
We ask that you respect this, and in turn your query, make sure that you send it to your lecturer in
Your lecturers will be available on email lecturers will avoid communicating with you in the time. For example, queries in relation to upcoming
evenings and over weekends, unless this is in tests should be sent a couple of days before the
Please direct all EB121 queries to the relevant relation to an urgent academic matter. test.
lecturer’s email address.

All formal communication related to this module

and other academic issues will be via email. Please Once you have sent an email allow the lecturer a
do not act on any unofficial communications such as reasonable amount of time to respond. If the email
WhatsApp or social media posts. remains unattended to, please forward it to the
departmental secretary, Ms Vuyo Vinqi
(vvinqi@[Link]), so that she can follow up
on your behalf.

While your lecturers will attempt to deal

with any queries that you have as soon Assessments will be marked as soon as possible,
as possible, remember that lecturers are however, it is important to consider the nature of
responsible for many modules, both at an the assessment and the lecturer’s workload. There
undergraduate and postgraduate level. are times where marking and processing of marks
may take up to two weeks.
 3

MODULE
ADMINISTRATION
 MODULE ADMINISTRATION

LECTURES

You will have face-to-face (F2F) lectures in-person in our venues on campus. You will also extend your learning
experience with some virtual lectures via collaborative platforms, such as Microsoft Teams (MS Teams), and several
learning activities including videos on our online Learning Management System (LMS) also referred to as Moodle or
iLearn.

There will also be small group learning experiences, such as tutorials and supplementary instructions (SI) sessions.
Some will be F2F and others online.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT

[Link]
 MODULE ADMINISTRATION

TIMETABLES

Please ensure that you attend the lecture based on your surname as per the
above table. Venues have limited capacity and can only accommodate 500
students at a time.
Note that if the venue is at capacity you will need to attend the duplicate thus
you need to ensure that you attend based on your surname – for health and
safety purposes the venue will be closed when it reaches capacity.
 MODULE ADMINISTRATION

PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOK

The prescribed textbook for this module is:

Bosch, J.K., Tait, M. & Venter, E. (Editors). 2018.

Business management: An entrepreneurial
perspective. 3rd Edition. Port Elizabeth
 MODULE ADMINISTRATION

MOODLE SITE

• You need to be enrolled to the EB121

Moodle site.
• All module information will be posted
on this site, you need to check it
regularly.
• Communications will be made through
the Moodle site.
• Online Tutorials will be conducted via
the Moodle site.
• There is no enrollment key needed to
enroll to the Moodle site.

[Link]
 MODULE ADMINISTRATION

Assessment information and weightings

Two semester tests are written for this module. Both semester CRITERIA WEIGHTING
tests are compulsory for all students. The average mark for
the two semester tests will be considered when calculating the
Semester Test (average of the two) 60%
class mark. Every student must complete three online tutorial
tests for this module. The tutorial tests are compulsory and the
average mark for the three tests will be considered when Group Assignment 25%
calculating the class mark. In addition, a group assignment
needs to be completed by all students. Tutorial test (average of three) 15%

Note: There is no DP required to qualify for the exam,

however, you need to obtain a subminimum of 40% for your CLASS MARK WEIGHT 100%
exam mark in order to pass the module regardless of your
final mark.

Class Mark Weight 45%

Exam Mark Weight 55%

FINAL MARK 100%

 4

PROGRAMME
 PROGRAMME

LECTURE
DATE STUDY UNIT CHAPTER TOPIC
NO

1 10 & 11 FEB - -- Introductory lecture & Assignment overview lecture

2 17 & 18 FEB 1 1 The context of business management and entrepreneurship (L1)

3 19 & 21 FEB 1 1 The context of business management and entrepreneurship (L2)

4 24 & 25 FEB 2 2 The business environment (L1)

5 26 & 28 FEB 2 2 The business environment (L2)

-- SEE MOODLE 1-2 1-2 Online Tutorial 1 (Opens 28 Feb; Closes 2 March)

6 3 & 4 MARCH 3 3 Entrepreneurship and new venture creation

7 5 & 7 MARCH 4 18 Small business enterprises (L1)

 PROGRAMME

LECTURE
DATE STUDY UNIT CHAPTER TOPIC
NO

10 & 11
8 4 18 Small business enterprises (L2)
MARCH
12 & 14
9 5 6 Form of business enterprise and statutory requirements (L1)
MARCH

-- 17 MARCH 1-3 1,2,3 SEMESTER TEST 1 (Time and Venue to be advised in class)

24 & 25
10 5 6 Form of business enterprise and statutory requirements (L2)
MARCH
26 & 28
11 6 4 Strategic business intentions (L1)
MARCH

RECESS: 29 MARCH – 6 APRIL 2025

12 7 & 8 APRIL 6 4 Strategic business intentions (L2)

-- SEE MOODLE 5-6 6,4 Online Tutorial 2 (Opens 8 April; Closes 11 April)
 PROGRAMME

LECTURE
DATE STUDY UNIT CHAPTER TOPIC
NO

13 9 & 11 APRIL 7 5 The field of business activity and competitive strategies (L1)

-- 11 APRIL 2024 -- -- GROUP ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION

14 14 & 15 APRIL 7 5 The field of business activity and competitive strategies (L2)

-- 16 APRIL 4-6 18,6,4 SEMESTER TEST 2 (Time and Venue to be advised in class)

15 23 & 25 APRIL 8 7 Location and facility layout planning (L1)

16 5 & 6 MAY 8 7 Location and facility layout planning (L2)

17 7 & 9 MAY 9 19 Towards globalisation (L1)

18 12 & 13 MAY 9 19 Towards globalisation (L2)

-- SEE MOODLE 8-9 7,19 Online Tutorial 3 (Opens 13 May; Closes 16 May)
 PROGRAMME

LECTURE
DATE STUDY UNIT CHAPTER TOPIC
NO

19 14 & 16 MAY 10 20 Introduction to business ethics

1,2,3, SPECIAL/SICK TEST (Final date to be confirmed)

-- 21 MAY 1-6
18,6,4 (Time and Venue to be announced in class)

20 26 & 27 MAY 1-10 ALL EXAM OVERVIEW LECTURE AND REVISION

LAST DAY OF LECTURES: TUESDAY 29 MAY 2025

EXAMINATIONS: 2 JUNE – 25 JUNE 2025
 5

ASSESSMENTS
 ASSESSMENTS

SEMESTER TEST ONE

Details of Semester Test:

Scope: Study Unit 1,2 & 3

Time limit: 1 Hour (60 minutes) Time Limit

Date: TBC
 ASSESSMENTS

SEMESTER TEST TWO

Details of Semester Test:

Scope: Study Unit 4,5 & 6

Time limit: 1 Hour (60 Minutes) Time Limit

Date: TBC
 6

MISSED SEMESTER TESTS

MISSED SEMESTER TEST

Should you miss any assessment due to medical, illness or other valid reasons (consult prospectus): you are required to:

a. Provide the necessary documentation (e.g., medical certificate,) to support your request for a sick test.

b. This documentation must be provided to the lecturer within 3 days of the assessment.

c. An acceptable medical certificate must contain at least the following:

a. Your name, surname, and student number
b. The date(s) of medical examination and/or consultation;
c. An indication of the duration of illness
d. Dates of inability to attend online lectures, tutorials and/or tests.

d. A medical certificate does not exempt a student from assessment obligation and any work in arrears must be
completed.

e. Students who choose not to participate in assessments on particular dates/times due to religious or cultural
observance or sporting events may apply to the lecturer concerned to participate in such assessments at an
alternative date/time. Any such application must be supported by proof on a letterhead from the relevant
ordained religious leader or designated authority confirming that the identified dates/times are of particular
significance.
 7

APPLICATION FOR
CONCESSIONS
 APPLICATION FOR CONCESSIONS

Students who wish to apply for concessions must complete

the form and upload necessary documentation using this link
[Link]

If you think you qualify for test and examination concessions (extra time,
use of scribes, use of assistive technologies etc.) submit the necessary documentation
verifying your disability to the Universal Accessibility and Disability Services (UADS). E-
mail: [Link]@[Link] before your first assessment.
 8

CODE OF CONDUCT/
ACADEMIC BEHAVIOUR
 Modules usually consist of a combination of lectures, discussions, and online interaction.

To complete modules successfully, you will need to ‘attend’ all the lectures, online discussions
and complete all assessments. If an emergency makes it impossible to attend virtual class
or assessment, you must inform the lecturer immediately

A commitment by NMU students

NMU staff and students commit themselves to a number of values, such as:

Diversity Integrity

Excellence Environmental Stewardship

Social Justice and Equality Ubuntu

a. We commit ourselves to excellence in our
academic work by fulfilling and exceeding
course requirements. We prepare properly,
b. We commit ourselves to contributing to the e. We commit ourselves to the tenets
make meaningful contributions, and participate
continued innovation of degree programmes of ubuntu by recognising that “we
in group and class activities. We are on time for
and therefore participate in the module are, because others are”. We
classes and formal activities and turn work in on
evaluations to further enhance their quality. therefore treat one another with
time. We realise that the programmes involve
teamwork and accept the responsibilities dignity and respect, and do not
associated with team membership. entertain harassment, discrimination
or incivility of any sort. We will
interact with our fellow students and
with our staff in a professional and
responsible manner. We expect the
same supportive conduct from staff
in their relations with students and
colleagues, both in the classroom
c. We commit ourselves to academic integrity, and in any other area of interaction.
respecting the specific policies of the Nelson d. We commit ourselves to contributing to the
Mandela University and the broad concept of sustainability of the university by staying
academic honesty. We therefore will not connected, supporting the Nelson Mandela
partake in plagiarism, misrepresentation of University, sharing our experiences and inspiring
sources, and unethical assistance from future graduates. While our academic journey
unapproved parties. We support students and ends at graduation, our bond as Nelson
staff who fulfil their duty by alerting faculty to Mandela University Alumni lasts all the days of
incidences of academic dishonesty. our lives.
 9

LEARNING AND TEACHING

PHILOSOPHY
 LEARNING AND TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

We believe in a student-centered approach to teaching and learning where students become

central to the acquisition of knowledge and skills. As lecturers, we become facilitators of the
learning process, through encouraging our students to seek, understand, share and reflect as they
engage with the learning content and outcomes. In this way, we strive to develop the potential of
each student through drawing on their inherent skills and experiences, both within and beyond the
classroom. Our aim is for students to grow as competent and confident leaders of their own
personal development, while acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills that will enable them
to contribute to their field of practice.
 The model below will be the basis for our learning. Your lecturer will be acting as a facilitator and will
follow this model in order to maximize learning and participation. It will require active participation from
your side and deliberate preparation for each lecture.

On your own for the

information to determine Your learning with peers
what you know and to learn from each other
don’t know

EXPLORE SHARE

REFLECT APPLY
On what you know Your learning to solve
and don’t know problems and make
decisions
 10

PLAGIARISM AND ACADEMIC

DISHONESTY
 PLAGIARISM AND ACADEMIC
DISHONESTY

Plagiarism involves utilising, summing up or copying from

another person’s work without giving acknowledgment to the
original author. As indicated in the rules contained in
the Nelson Mandela University’s
Please be aware that plagiarism has serious consequences and
General Prospectus, specifically
will result in a zero for an assignment and the handing over of
all plagiarised work to the Nelson Mandela University regarding rule G1.27 Plagiarism and
Disciplinary Committee. academic dishonesty:

Be sure to give credit to a source when using information from “Plagiarism and any instance of
another person, website, lecture, book or the like. academic dishonesty will be dealt with in
terms of the Student Disciplinary Code.
An assessment declaration needs to be submitted with each
Students are referred to the Policy on
assessment. You will find it available on Moodle together with
the assessment you will be completing at the time. Academic Integrity and Prevention of
Plagiarism available on the
Our School uses Turnitin to detect similarities between student portable.”
assignments submitted by students and existing literature.
 11

GENERAL QUERIES
 IMPORTANT WEBSITES
You will be making use of various websites throughout the course of your studies, please
familiarise yourself with these:

Student Portal

[Link]

Moodle

[Link]

Personal Timetable

[Link]
[Link]

Emthonjeni Student Wellness

[Link]
 GENERAL QUERIES
There are other queries that you may have that are not related to a specific module. The
relevant contact details are provided below for your convenience:

Academic records, proof of registration of good conduct, core syllabi

studentrecords@[Link]

Finances (quotes/fees/accounts)

StudentAccounts@[Link]

Financial assistance

financialaid@[Link]

Login credentials on student portal (verification or activation)

helpdesk@[Link]
Application process/admission statuses

admissions@[Link]

General enquiries

info@[Link]