More and more professionals are compelled to embark on further learning or post-graduate studies to remain competent and competitive in a fast-changing world. Barely a week passes without there being a new product launched or trend reported in the media. Seminars and courses on the Fourth (or even the Fifth) Industrial Revolution are regularly punted as the answer(s) to modern challenges across the globe, and everywhere we look there is anticipation for the ‘next best thing’. It’s for this reason that mega companies like Google, have their own campuses where their employees can undertake product specific learning. This is because rapid social and economic transformation in the 21st century have profoundly changed modes of production, social relations, cultural norms and personal lives. Never before in human history has so much upheaval occurred in such a short time with such far reaching global consequences at the macro level where major political and economic forces are at play, and at the micro level of ordinary citizens.
However, many trends reported in the media turn out to be hype and never have any real economic or social impact. So, when we think of what innovative change really means, it’s important to assess it from the value it will add to life on the planet. Much is being invested in artificial intelligence (AI) to solve global problems, but the real question to be asked is, "Is artificial better than real?" Should we not also make a similar investment in human intelligence - teaching people to think critically, empathetically, sustainably and creatively?
The seduction of using technology to solve human problems is powerful and one can see how readily the youth has become dependent on technology. We know that computers can outperform humans in processing data. But in the end, what is more important is how data is interpreted, analysed and applied for beneficial outcomes. Therefore, the real measure of intelligence is that rare ability by humans to harness technology from a higher understanding and deploy it responsibly to enhance life quality.
It is at this nexus of empowerment and change, where graduates are equipped to adapt to change and manage complexity that the TSIBA Business School has pitched its revamped Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (PGDBA). With the key focus on Entrepreneurial Leadership, this sought after TSIBA post-graduate qualification grounds learners in the fundamentals of entrepreneurial business practice, self-awareness and leadership. This is based on the notion that to change the world, one needs to understand oneself first then to leverage value from available resources.
Entrepreneurial leadership, still a relatively new business discipline, brings together two key requirements for social impact and economic growth in South Africa, that of entrepreneurship and leadership. There is no doubt that the many socio-economic and political challenges currently experienced in our political and economic landscapes stem from poor leadership. This was clearly laid out at the Zondo Commission. And drawing on experiences in Europe and Asia, students will learn how entrepreneurial thinking has catalysed phenomenal economic growth there.
An investment in a post-graduate qualification such as the TSIBA PGDBA is an investment in a better future through enabling a productive and meaningful career. Besides the agile, critical and analytical thinking that is embedded in the course, there is the added emphasis on high levels of emotional intelligence (EQ) and adaptability intelligence (SQ).
So when the future comes knocking, will you be ready?
