The Business Studies Department
ABOUT US
The Business Studies Department at the Cornerstone Institute is firmly committed to the following approach:
- Global cutting-edge best practices in business
- Excellent student and stakeholder support
- Ethical integrity for all
Our focus is on students and employees who have yet to have the opportunity of post-school education. For those without the necessary level of Maths, we offer an entry-level Higher Certificate in Business Studies, which scaffolds into our BCom, where we offer a choice of majors in Operations, Human Capital Management, Marketing, and Economics.
We recognize that the world of work is changing fundamentally and that many of the old ways of doing things are no longer relevant. We aim to ensure that we equip our students with relevant knowledge and practical skills to prepare them to build their careers in these new times.
Our modules are underpinned by 21st-century skills imperative to the changing world of work. These modules are informed by research with employers in the private and public sectors and introduce our students to topics such as artificial intelligence, strategy deployment, business process automation, agile design, human capital, and customer experience.
Our teaching and learning are based on well-tested theoretical models combined with new pedagogical research, and we offer a flexible set of schedules to accommodate those currently working and those who are not. Our senior lecturing staff have multiple years of experience in the business world, so they are keenly aware of the requirements to develop a successful career in business.
Nowadays, to fully understand business, it is imperative to understand what is happening in South Africa and on our continent and appreciate developments across the globe. We are committed to ensuring our students leave Cornerstone with this perspective and these insights. Thereby, whatever setting they find themselves in, they will be empowered to change their own world and the worlds of others around them.
We invite you to email us at businessstudies@cornerstone.co.za or call 021 4480050 ext. 2385. We will be pleased to answer any questions you have.
Click below to view or download leaflets
Seven Factors to Consider When Choosing a Business Qualification in South Africa
South Africa’s unemployment rate fell by 0,7% in quarter 3 2023 compared to the same time last year. However, our official unemployment rate is still 41.2%, on the expanded definition, which includes those discouraged from seeking work – the number of people not economically active is 16.3 million (1).
While most of those out of work have no post-school qualifications, Statistics South Africa Reports show that 10.6% of those unemployed were graduates and persons with tertiary education qualifications (1).
Reference:
- Statistics South Africa Quarterly Labour Force Survey
Knowledge and Skills for the New World of Work by Geoff Schreiner, Head of Business Studies
Our future will, of course, be increasingly defined by technology – there are nearly 7 billion smartphones in the world, and there is a veritable tsunami of information with 90% of the world’s data having been created in the last two years. And every two years, the volume of data across the world doubles in size. We can add to this the explosion in cognitive computing, robotics, and artificial intelligence. In addition, we can expect even more work from home, constant changes in careers, and the continuous redefinition of jobs.
The Essence of Entrepreneurship by Geoff Schreiner, Head of Business Studies
November is considered Entrepreneurship Month, but Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is perhaps better known. Global Entrepreneurship Week is an international initiative that emerged from Enterprise Week initiatives in the USA and UK in 2007-8. Since its inception, more than 10 million people from 165 countries have participated in entrepreneurship-related events, activities and competitions during GEW each November.