MNB1501/101/3/2023

Tutorial Letter 101/3/2023

Business Management 1A
MNB1501

Semester 1 and 2

Department of Business Management

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please register on myUnisa, activate your myLife e-mail account and
make sure that you have regular access to the myUnisa module
website, MNB1501-2023-S1/S2, as well as your group website.

Note: This is a fully online module. It is, therefore, only available on myUnisa.

BARCODE
 CONTENTS

Page

1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 4
1.1 Getting started .............................................................................................................................. 4
2 OVERVIEW OF MNB1601............................................................................................................ 5
2.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................5
2.2 Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... 5
3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION ........................................................................................... 6
4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS................................................................................... 7
4.1 Lecturer(s) .................................................................................................................................... 7
4.2 Department ................................................................................................................................... 8
4.3 University ...................................................................................................................................... 8
5 RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................... 9
5.1 Prescribed book ............................................................................................................................ 9
5.2 Recommended book(s) ............................................................................................................... 10
5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves) ................................................................................................. 10
5.4 Library services and resources ................................................................................................... 11
6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES .............................................................................................. 12
6.1 First-Year Experience Programme................................................................................................ 13
7. STUDY PLAN ............................................................................................................................. 13
8 HOW TO STUDY ONLINE .......................................................................................................... 14
8.1 What does it mean to study fully online? ..................................................................................... 14
8.2 myUnisa tools ............................................................................................................................. 14
9. CONTINIOUS ASSESSMENT .................................................................................................... 15
9.1 General remarks ............................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
9.2 Assessment plan ........................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
9.3 Assessment due dates ................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
9.4 Submission of assessments........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
9.5 The assessments ........................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
9.6 Other assessment methods ........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
9.7 The examination ............................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
10. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY ........................................................................................................ 15
10.1 Plagiarism ................................................................................................................................... 15

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10.2 Cheating ..................................................................................................................................... 16

10.3 For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below: ..................................................... 16
11. STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES .................................................................................. 16
12. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ........................................................................................ 16
13. IN CLOSING ............................................................................................................................... 16

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1 INTRODUCTION
Dear Student

Welcome to Business Management 1B (MNB1501).

This tutorial letter provides you with general information and introduces you to this module.
Read through this letter carefully as it contains important information regarding assessments,
year marks and the examination. Because this is a blended online module, you will need to
use myUnisa to study and complete the learning activities for this module. Visit the website for
MNB1501 on myUnisa frequently. The website for your module is MNB1501-23-S1/S2.

Although you will receive extensive guidance from the assessments, tutorial letters and study
material, you are more than welcome to contact us if you have any other academic related
queries. We are fully aware that you sometimes study under very difficult circumstances and we
therefore invite you to contact us if you require information, encounter problems, or if you want
to discuss any aspect of the work. It is very important to us that you pass this module, and we
will do our best to assist you in this regard.

We trust that you will find this module interesting and stimulating.

1.1 Getting started

Owing to the nature of this module, you can read about the module and find your study material
online. Go to the website at https://my.unisa.ac.za and log in using your student number and
password. Click on "myModules" at the top of the web page and then on "Sites" in the top right
corner. In the new window, click on the grey Star icon next to the modules you want displayed
on your navigation bar. Close the window in the top right corner. Then select the option
"Reload to see your updated favourite sites". Now go to your navigation bar and click on the
module you want to open.

We wish you every success with your studies!

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2 OVERVIEW OF MNB1501

2.1 Purpose

The purpose of this module is to establish a foundation for the study of business
management; and to develop the learner’s understanding of the concept of strategic
management and of the specific management tasks (planning, organising, leadership,
control). This will enable qualifying learners to develop basic business plans that reflect
an entrepreneurial approach to maximising the use of resources. These business plans are
of the type that could be used for seeking funding from financing institutions. Qualifying
students can:

• Explain how business performance is related to strategic management.

• Analyse a business case study and identify issues related to the managerial
tasks and skills.
• Differentiate between entrepreneurial and non-entrepreneurial approaches to
business management.
• Develop a basic business plan for a small to medium enterprise.

2.2 Outcomes

For this module, you will have to master several outcomes:

Specific outcome 1:
The learner will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the role of business in society and
the position of business management in the business world.

Specific outcome 2:
The learner will be able to identify an entrepreneur and explain its role in society.

Specific outcome 3:
The learner will be able to recognise how an organisation functions and how it is established.

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Specific outcome 4:
The learner will be able to explain the term "business environment", examine its composition
and investigate aspects of environmental scanning.

Specific outcome 5:
The learner will be able to provide a broad overview of the corporate social responsibilities of
South African organisations.

Specific outcome 6:
The learner will be able to provide an overview of the role of management in a business, by
defining management and supplying reasons why management is essential to any organisation.

Specific outcome 7
The learner will be able to analyse planning as a management task relevant to all management
levels.

Specific outcome 8
The learner will be able to describe organising as a management task, including modern
structuring and design.

Specific outcome 9
The learner will be able to analyse leading as a management task, by focusing on culture,
motivation and communication.

Specific outcome 10
The learner will be able to discuss control as a management task aimed at continuously
improving the organisation's performance.

3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION

Unisa has implemented a transformation charter, in terms of which the university has placed
curriculum transformation high on the teaching and learning agenda. Curriculum transformation
includes student-centred scholarship, the pedagogical renewal of teaching and assessment
practices, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the infusion of African epistemologies
and philosophies. All of these will be phased in at both programme and module levels, and as a

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result of this you will notice a marked change in the teaching and learning strategy implemented
by Unisa, together with the way in which the content is conceptualised in your modules. We
encourage you to embrace these changes during your studies at Unisa in a responsive way
within the framework of transformation.

For MNB1501, translations of the welcome message, glossaries and FAQs can now be found
on the module page.

4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS

4.1 Lecturer(s)

You may contact your lecturers by email, telephone or on the myUnisa website.

All enquiries about the contents of the module should be directed to the lecturers for
MNB1501:

NAME TELEPHONE E-MAIL ADDRESS

Mr R Shibiti (primary lecturer) 012 429 6237 shibir@unisa.ac.za

Dr P Bester (secondary lecturer) 012 429 3103 bestep1@unisa.ac.za

Prof S Rudansky-Kloppers (secondary 012 429 4689 rudans@unisa.ac.za

lecturer)

The lecturers for this module will be available to assist with academic matters. However, the
days and times of lecturer’s availability will be communicated in the module page on myUnisa.

Please note that in accordance with the POPI Act, only queries sent from a myLife email
address will be answered.

Please only contact your lecturer for academic assistance. They cannot assist with
administrative queries.

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4.2 Department

You can contact the Department of Business Management as follows:

Telephone number: 012 429 4230

E-mail: busman@unisa.ac.za

4.3 University

To contact the University, follow the instructions on the Contact us page on the Unisa website.
Remember to have your student number available whenever you contact the University.

Whenever you contact a lecturer via e-mail, please include your student number and the
module code in the subject line to enable the lecturer to help you more effectively.

If you have any administrative enquiries, please contact the respective department directly as
your lecturers will not be able to assist you:

Department Query type Email Telephone SMS

Information Only for Student infoservices@unisa.ac.za 012 429 3111 n/a
Services Frequently Asked
Questions(FAQ)
Assessments General assign@unisa.ac.za n/a 43584
assessment
enquiries
Examinations General aegrotats@unisa.ac.za 012 429 8205 43584
examination exams@unisa.ac.za 012 429 2919
enquiries examdisabled@unisa.ac.za
examadmission@unisa.ac.za
examinternational@unisa.ac.za
remark@unisa.ac.za
purchasescript@unisa.ac.za
Exam venue Student enquiries invigilationandexamvenues@unis 011 471 2375 43584
administratio in respect of a.ac.za 011 471 3174
n examination

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venues
myUnisa help Assistance with myUnisaHelp@unisa.ac.za 011 471 2256 43582
myUnisa
myLife help Assistance with myLifeHelp@unisa.ac.za 011 471 2256 43582
myLife
CEMS College-specific cemsenquiries@unisa.ac.za 012 429 3925
enquiries econ@unisa.ac.za 012 429 2982
Student Student account finan@unisa.ac.za 012 429 2441
Finance enquires 012 429 4299

Contact addresses of the various administrative departments also appear on the Unisa website:
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Contact-us/Student-enquiries.

Please include the student number in all correspondence.

5 RESOURCES

5.1 Prescribed book

PRESCRIBED BOOK

The prescribed book, which you must purchase yourself, for MNB1501 is:

BJ Erasmus, JW Strydom, S Rudansky-Kloppers. 2019. Introduction to Business

Management. 11th edition. Cape Town: Oxford University Press.

IMPORTANT: The lessons on myUnisa are intended to guide you in your study of the
prescribed book. The assessment questions are based mainly on the prescribed book.

NB: The prescribed book cannot be ordered from Unisa! Please refer to the list of
official booksellers and their addresses on myUnisa. Please note that you need to
purchase the prescribed textbook, as without the textbook, you will not be able to
pass this module.

Prescribed books can be obtained from the University’s official booksellers. If you have

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 difficulty locating your book(s) at these booksellers, please contact the Prescribed Books
Section at Tel: 012 429 4152 or e-mail: vospresc@unisa.ac.za.

Which parts of the prescribed book must I study?

For MNB1501 you need to study Chapters 1 to 10 in the prescribed book, Introduction to
Business Management 11th edition. You also need to work through ALL of the lessons on
myUnisa.

Ensure that you purchase the correct edition of the prescribed book as the examination will be
based on the 11th edition of the book. Older editions are not considered when setting
assessments.

Do not contact your lecturers regarding the use of older editions. You must use the
prescribed edition.

5.2 Recommended book(s)

Recommended books are books that are not prescribed (in other words you are under no
obligation to purchase these books if you do not wish to do so). However, the lecturers feel that
the book recommended below is valuable to your learning process and will assist your revision
and preparation for the examination.

RECOMMENDED BOOK

The recommended book (which you may purchase) for MNB1501 is:

Strydom, J.W. & Rudansky-Kloppers, S. 2017. Multiple-choice questions for Introduction to

Business Management. 3rd edition. Cape Town: Oxford University Press. (also available as
an e-Publication)

Recommended books can be requested online, via the Library catalogue.

5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves)

There are no electronic reserves for this module.

E-reserves can be downloaded from the library catalogue. More information is available at:
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/request

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5.4 Library services and resources

The Unisa library offers a range of information services and resources:

• For brief information, go to https://www.unisa.ac.za/library/libatglance

• For more detailed library information, go to
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library
• For research support and services (e.g. the services offered by personal librarians and
the request a literature search service offered by the information search librarians), go to
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-services/Research-support
• For library training for undergraduate students, go to
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-services/Training

The library has created numerous library guides, available at http://libguides.unisa.ac.za

Recommended guides:

• Request and find library material/download recommended material:

http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/request
• Postgraduate information services: http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/postgrad
• Finding and using library resources and tools:
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/Research_skills
• Frequently asked questions about the library:
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/ask
• Services to students living with disabilities:
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/disability
• A–Z of library databases:
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/az.php

Important contact information:

• Ask a librarian: https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/ask

• Technical problems encountered in accessing library online services: Lib-
help@unisa.ac.za

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 • General library-related queries: Library-enquiries@unisa.ac.za
• Queries related to library fines and payments: Library-fines@unisa.ac.za
• Social media channels: Facebook: UnisaLibrary and Twitter: @UnisaLibrary

6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

The Study @ Unisa brochure is available on myUnisa: www.unisa.ac.za/brochures/studies

This brochure contains important information and guidelines for successful studies through
Unisa.

If you need assistance with regard to the myModules system, you are welcome to use the
following contact details:

• Toll-free landline: 0800 00 1870 (Select option 07 for myModules)

• E-mail: mymodules22@unisa.ac.za or myUnisaHelp@unisa.ac.za

IMPORTANT: Please do not contact your lecturer if you experience ANY technical problems on
the myUnisa page (for example errors when submitting assessments). Your lecturers are
responsible to teach and guide you in ACADEMIC matters and are unable to assist with
technical or administrative queries.

You can access and view short videos on topics such as how to view your calendar, how to
access module content, how to view announcements for modules, how to submit assessment
and how to participate in forum activities via the following link: https://dtls-
qa.unisa.ac.za/course/view.php?id=32130

Registered Unisa students get a free myLife e-mail account. Important information, notices
and updates are sent exclusively to this account. Please note that it can take up to 24 hours
for your account to be activated after you have claimed it. Please do this immediately after
registering at Unisa, by following this link: myLifeHelp@unisa.ac.za

Your myLife account is the only e-mail account recognised by Unisa for official
correspondence with the university, and will remain the official primary e-mail address on
record at Unisa. You remain responsible for the management of this e-mail account.

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6.1 First-Year Experience Programme

Many students find the transition from school education to tertiary education stressful. This is
also true in the case of students enrolling at Unisa for the first time. Unisa is a dedicated open
distance and e-learning institution, and it is very different from face-to-face/contact institutions. It
is a mega university, and all our programmes are offered through either blended learning or fully
online learning. It is for this reason that we thought it necessary to offer first-time students
additional/extended support to help them seamlessly navigate the Unisa teaching and learning
journey with little difficulty and few barriers. We therefore offer a specialised student support
programme to students enrolling at Unisa for the first time – this is Unisa’s First-Year
Experience (FYE) Programme, designed to provide you with prompt and helpful information
about services that the institution offers and how you can access information. The following FYE
services are currently offered:

• FYE website: All the guides and resources you need in order to navigate through your
first year at Unisa can be accessed using the following link: www.unisa.ac.za/FYE
• FYE e-mails: You will receive regular e-mails to help you stay focused and motivated.
• FYE broadcasts: You will receive e-mails with links to broadcasts on various topics
related to your first-year studies (e.g. videos on how to submit assessments online).
• FYE mailbox: For assistance with queries related to your first year of study, send an e-
mail to fye@unisa.ac.za.

7. STUDY PLAN

You should plan your personal study programme in such a way that you are able to go through
all the study material and have time to complete the assessments. You should work at your own
pace and draw up your own time management schedule, which is better suited to your particular
situation. If you intend on drawing up your own schedule, please remember that the assessment
dates cannot change. Thus, you need to plan your schedule around these dates. You can also
use the electronic schedule on myUnisa or the study plan document in the Study @ Unisa
brochure to compile a comprehensive plan for all your modules, if you prefer. Please refer to
this brochure for guidelines on general time management and planning.

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The following is a recommended time schedule which can be used as a guideline for studying
this module:

ACTIVITY HOURS
Reading of relevant chapters in the prescribed books 40
Reading of lessons 10
Doing of activities in the lessons 10
Studying of the prescribed books and lessons and making of 50
summaries
Doing the assessments 10
TOTAL 120

8 HOW TO STUDY ONLINE

8.1 What does it mean to study fully online?

Studying fully online modules differs completely from studying some of your other modules at
Unisa.

• All your study material and learning activities for online modules are designed to be
delivered online on myUnisa.
• All your assessments must be submitted online. This means that you will do all your
activities and submit all your assessments on myUnisa. In other words, you may NOT post
your assessments to Unisa using the South African Post Office.
• All communication between you and the University happens online. Lecturers will
communicate with you via e-mail and SMS, and use the Announcements, the Discussion
Forums and the Questions and Answers tools. You can also use all of these platforms to
ask questions and contact your lecturers.

8.2 myUnisa tools

The main tool that we will use is the Lessons tool. This tool will provide the content of and the
assessments for your module. At times you will be directed to join discussions with fellow
students and complete activities and assessments before you can continue with the module.

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It is very important that you log in to myUnisa regularly. We recommend that you log in at least
once a week to do the following:

• Check for new announcements. You can also set your myLife e-mail account so that you
receive the announcement e-mails on your cellphone. However, do not rely on these e-
mails solely as they can be delayed resulting in you missing important, time-sensitive
information.
• Do the Discussion Forum activities. When you do the activities for each learning unit, we
want you to share your answers with the other students in your group. You can read the
instructions and even prepare your answers offline, but you will need to go online to post
your messages.
• Do other online activities. For some of the learning unit activities you might need to take a
quiz. Do not skip these activities because they will help you complete the assessments and
the activities for the module.

We hope that by giving you extra ways to study the material and practise all the activities, this
will help you succeed in the online module. To get the most out of the online module, you MUST
go online regularly to complete the activities and assessments on time.

9. CONTINIOUS ASSESSMENT
Please note that the printed Tutorial Letter 101 has been updated to compile with the latest
Assessment Policy of the university. Kindly refer to Tutorial Letter 102 for more information
about the assessment arrangement for the module.

10. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

10.1 Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of taking the words, ideas and thoughts of others and presenting them as
your own. It is a form of theft. Plagiarism includes the following forms of academic dishonesty:

• Copying and pasting from any source without acknowledging the source.
• Not including references or deliberately inserting incorrect bibliographic information.
• Paraphrasing without acknowledging the original source of the information.

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10.2 Cheating

Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Completing assessments on behalf of another student, copying the work of another

student during an assessment, or allowing another student to copy your work.
• Using social media (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram) or other platforms to disseminate
assessment information.
• Submitting corrupt or irrelevant files, this forms part of examination guidelines
• Buying completed answers from so-called “tutors” or internet sites (contract cheating).

For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below:

https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/myunisa/default/Study-@-Unisa/Student-values-and-rules

11. STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES

The Advocacy and Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD) provides an
opportunity for staff to interact with first-time and returning students with disabilities.

If you are a student with a disability and would like additional support or need additional time for
assessments, you are invited to contact ARCSWiD to discuss the assistance that you need.

12. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

On the MNB1501 myUnisa module site, you will find a number of questions frequently asked by
students. To access these questions, go to the MNB1501 myUnisa module site and click on the
FAQs tool (it appears on the left-hand side of the screen).

Before contacting Unisa, please read these FAQs as you may find the answer to your question
there. Also consult the Study @ Unisa brochure before you contact the university, as most of
your questions will be answered in this brochure.

13. IN CLOSING

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Do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail if you are experiencing problems with the content of this
tutorial letter or with any academic aspect of the module.

We wish you a fascinating and satisfying journey through the learning material, and trust that
you will complete the module successfully.

Happy studies!
The lecturers for MNB1501
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

2023

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