Fonties (Akademia students) in Akademia’s first honours programme, BComHons (Business Management), ended the 2023 academic year on a high note. On 11 November, these fifteen students had the opportunity to showcase their newfound research knowledge and skills during a special presentation event.

A panel of experts, consisting of academic staff from the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at Akademia, assessed the various presentations, posed questions based on the groups’ chosen research methods and gave valuable feedback. The panel members – Elize-Mari Coetzer, Bernard Odendaal, Johann Smith, Monique Visser, Salomien Boshoff and Tho-Marie Stolz – agreed that the presentations exceeded all expectations and that the students did an excellent job.

The following research themes were presented:

• The impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the law firm workplace
• Micromanagement, fear of failure and individual innovativeness in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the South African context
• Senses at their peak: The peak-end rule and its effect on experiences
• Supply chain risk management in small and medium-sized enterprises in South Africa
• Decision-making styles versus levels of management

• The relationship between leadership, strategic feedback and strategic outcomes in micro-enterprises

“The research process can be very challenging, especially for inexperienced researchers. However, we as lecturers are very excited about the future of these new researchers. The standard of the projects was high and speaks to the heartbeat of research, namely a spirit of eagerness to learn and a strong academic focus,” Boshoff said    after the event.

According to Elize-Mari Coetzer, head of the Department of Management Sciences at Akademia, the honours programme had a twofold focus. In the first place, it aimed to equip students within a global context with the latest business management knowledge, skills and competences to analyse and solve problems. Secondly, the programme was aimed at exposing students to the research process in a theoretical and practical way. She further emphasised that an honours qualification had to be seen as a link between theory and practice. “Contact sessions and assessments follow the approach where students must reconcile the theory and practical scenarios with each other and critically reflect on them. In the workplace, critical thinking is of crucial importance and this is what will distinguish an Akademia honours student from others, together with the character building that the institution offers to students,” she explained.

In light of this, the presentation event in itself also served as a skills development opportunity. Students had to be able to work together in groups, present their research process and findings factually and graphically and speak to an audience.

The BComHons (Business Management) programme is offered via Akademia’s after-hours distance model, which means that students can still work full-time during the day or pursue other interests. Anelsje de Vos, a student from the Cape, was very grateful for the practical nature of the programme. She dreams of specialising in the import and export industry and said that her research background played a big role in this endeavour. For her part, Nádine Grant said that thanks to the research component of the programme she had a better overall picture of the business environment. Both De Vos and Grant were also able to work full time and gained practical experience thanks to the adaptability of the after-hours distance model.

Study applications for 2024’s BComHons (Business Management) programmes are still open and those interested have until 8 January 2024 to apply. Please click here for more information about this programme.