PROSPECTUS AND ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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1 PROSPECTUS AND ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS The Certificate in Retail Management was developed in collaboration between National College of Ireland and the education group within Retail Excellence Ireland. The course will commence in September 2015 and is available to REI members at a negotiated fee of 1,550 per participant. The Certificate offers REI members an accessible route to increase the productivity, efficiency and profitability of their retail stores and organisation. It also offers an attractive way in which to reward and motivate employees who demonstrate potential to progress in your company. Who is the course suited to? The course is suited to those who are working in retail with ambitions to move towards a management role. You might currently be a retail assistant, supervisor, assistant manager or store manager. Are there any prerequisites for admission on to the course? There are no prerequisite educational qualifications. Applicants are considered based on relevant work and other experience. What content will be included in the course? The education group in REI has sought to ensure the content is relevant, practical and 100% up-to-date with a focus on retail at all times. There are five modules (listed below) which total 30 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) in all. The final module Retail Operations (weighted at twice of the amount of credits of the previous four), will be a capstone module drawing together the learning from the previous four modules, applying this and new content to the core areas of retail activity (Stock, Technology, Staff, Retail Strategy and 1

2 Customer Relationship Management (CRM)). For example, this module will look at how the leading retail companies are using technology to manage the customer relationship online and in-store (i.e. this will include social media, ecommerce, data analytics etc.). Certificate in Retail Management (30 ects) Fundamentals of Retail Management People Management & Development in Retail Finance for Retail Customer Relations in Retail Retail Operations (10 ects) MODULE 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF MANAGEMENT The aim of this module is to give an introduction to the concept of management and organisations. The module describes fundamental activities, frameworks and concepts of management as well as an overview of key organisation functions, and relates these to contemporary issues and examples. Through examination of the latest management thinking, learners will be able to understand and explain the key considerations for a manger and be able to apply these lessons to your retail organisation. 1. Fundamental concepts in Management and the role of key organisation functions 2. Planning and basic principles of managing strategy 3. Foundations of organisational structure and implications of structural choices 4. The importance of Control and how it can be achieved 100% exam based. This will be a supervised written 2 hour exam exam. It will be held onsite at the end of the module. Whilst the exam will not be the focus of lectures, students who participate in class and take on suggested tasks should have no difficulty with this assessment. MODULE 2: FINANCE FOR RETAIL To succeed as a retail manager you need an understanding of finance in a retail environment. This module will give you an understanding of financial accounting information and the various data and variables that impact on the financial performance of your retail organisation. 2

3 1. The background and regulatory framework underlying Accounting 2. Margin management 3. Financial implications of shrink management and stock management 4. Key drivers of effective financial management/sales performance within a retailing outlet 40% project 60% exam. This will be a supervised written 2 hour exam. It will be held onsite at the end of the module. MODULE 3: CUSTOMER RELATIONS IN RETAIL Customers and sales are of course vital for any retailer. This module looks at retail marketing and sales and examines the different strategies retailers employ to grow their sales, build customer loyalty and enhance their retail brand. The module also covers the essentials of customer service in retail. 1. Retail marketing and sales concepts and principles 2. Retail pricing and promotions 3. Applying customer service skills to real life situations. 4. Customer loyalty in retail 5. Customer relationship policies and practices 6. Applying efficient behavioural strategies in a variety of customer interaction scenarios 40% project 60% exam. This will be a supervised written 2 hour exam. It will be held onsite at the end of the module. MODULE 4: PEOPLE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT This part of the course will familiarise you with the area of Human Resource Management (HRM), a key aspect for retail. It will give you knowledge and skills in core HRM activities and will also provide an understanding of health and safety and its application in diverse retail settings. 1. Positive management behaviours and practices to lead, direct and motivate people to maximise performance 2. Employment law in the workplace 3. Recruitment and selection process and appropriate selection methods and techniques 4. The links between induction, turnover and retention and why they are strategic significance to the overall success of the organisation 5. Techniques to evaluate and reward performance 6. Health and Safety legislation and apply it to providing a safe system of work 3

4 7. Planning and organising the workplace, supervision of employee practices, and observation of customer, supplier and visitor actions for the provision of a secure working environment Role play and exam. The role play component is carried out in class and assessed by the module tutor along with a second marker to ensure consistency and fairness. The exam will be a supervised written 2 hour exam. It will be held onsite at the end of the module. MODULE 5: RETAIL OPERATIONS (STOCK, TECHNOLOGY, STAFF, RETAIL STRATEGY AND CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT) This module is larger than the others. It will be delivered last and will cover specific retail areas not included in the previous modules. It looks at retail operations in all types of retail environments and will provide an overview of the key elements which affect and influence the interaction between customers and retailers, which are relevant when successfully formulating and managing retail operations. This module deals with the practical problems involved in running a retail business. From retail design and merchandising, through to the role of the store manager to contact between floor staff and customers. Both strategic and tactical issues will be introduced with respect to the relationship between retailers and their existing and potential customers. 1. How the different elements of retail operations contribute towards an exchange between consumers and the retailer whilst contributing towards the retailer s productivity, efficiency and profitability 2. Key issues associated with product range and the effective control and management of stock 3. Principles of retail design and merchandising 4. Planning, developing and monitoring KPIs for a retail environment 5. How retailers can use technology within their operational environments 6. Retail crime and retail security 7. Planning and scheduling resources for a trading period 100% project based assessment. When does the course start and end? There are two academic semesters of 13 weeks each. The first semester commences on 23 September 2015 and lasts until December (We will ensure there are a minimum number of classes in December so as not to impact on the Christmas trading period.) The second semester commences on February 2016 until May

5 How are the lectures delivered? The lectures are delivered by way of blended learning i.e. a mixture of an online and onsite lectures. Online Lectures: Online lectures take place one evening per week (Wednesday from 7pm to 9pm). There are approximately 26 online evening lectures for the entire course (September to May). The online lectures take place via a progamme called Moodle. There are three introductory sessions to show participants how to use the software. Course participants need access to a computer and the internet to participate in the online lectures. Participants are able to participate in the lecture by putting up their hands, asking questions etc. The system also allows the lecturers to interact with the course participants. Onsite Lectures: Lectures take place in class onsite in NCI, IFSC, Dublin 1 one Tuesday per month during the semester time. There are approximately 3 onsite days per semester (approximately 6 in total for the entire Certificate). (Please note: depending on demand, it is possible to deliver the course in-house in one particular company or in one geographical location outside of Dublin.) Field Trips / Case Study Visits At least one case study visit will take place to afford participants the opportunity to visit a leading retail company to see first-hand how it manages operations. Apart from lectures what is the time commitment? The time commitment (outside of lectures) is difficult to determine as everybody has a different way of studying. However, students should think in terms of upwards of 50 hours input per person to include research, documenting, and discussing the project with other group members. Since the project will be work based, much of the research will be in the field with a requirement to read selected publications to get ideas and validate findings. Who are the lecturers? The lecturers are current lecturers in NCI and also experts drawn from the retail industry. Guest speakers from the industry will be asked to present at various intervals throughout the programme How will the course be assessed? As the Certificate will provide participants with an accredited qualification (accredited by the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)), formal assessment of the learning is required. 5

6 The assessment will be by way of continued assessment. This means that as each module is completed, there will be some form of assessment so there won t be one big exam at the end of the course. There will a number of different forms of assessment, depending on the subject matter of the module. For example, the first two modules Fundamentals of Management and Finance for Retail will be assessed by way of an exam which will be conducted onsite. As we progress through the modules and complete the more retail operational modules e.g. Customer Relations in Retail, People Management and Development and Retail Operations, there will be a variety of formats of assessment: project/assignment, exam, and in-class role play. There will also be the opportunity for formative assessment using various online quizzes allowing the student to assess their own progress and highlighting areas for improvement Any projects will be a problem-based. Participants may use the opportunity to look at solving / improving a particular issue in their own organisation. This will be of benefit to the employing organisation as well. There are be some subject matters will assessed by way of a presentation to class e.g. Customer relations. The presentation involves the participant presenting to the lecturer in class on a particular topic. This will give the participant experience in preparing for and delivering a presentation to a group of people. What level of accreditation will I be entitled to on successful completion of the course? The course grants successful participants a qualification at Level 6 of the National Framework of Qualifications. What courses will this qualification entitle me to progress to? Successful completion of the course will allow participants to progress to other programmes on the National Framework, for example, a BA in Management Practice. Coupled with this depending upon demand, further degree level programmes will be developed specific to the Retail environment How much are the course fees? REI has negotiated a fee of 1,550 for each participant. The fee is payable in full to NCI by 5pm on Wednesday 9 th September How do I reserve a place on this course? Please complete the attached Application Form and send to Clare Dowling, Head of HR Advisory Services in Retail Excellence Ireland, 1 Barrack Street, Ennis, Co. Clare. Fax: clare@retailexcellence.ie I need some more information. Who can I direct my queries to? Please contact Clare Dowling, Head of HR Advisory Services in Retail Excellence Ireland on or clare@retailexcellence.ie. 6