Exporting
A chance to grow your career and your business.
For some 16 years, since dramatic political changes in South Africa were announced in 1992, the country has been able to play a full role in the global community. This has meant that companies and individuals have been able to take advantage of the business and career opportunities this has given them.
But still the call goes out from government, economists and corporate leaders for companies, especially manufacturers, to export more. Therefore, companies need relevantly-skilled people to recruit into existing or new export departments. Exporting is not only a multi-disciplinary operation it also embraces every industrial field in South Africa, and every type of company, from manufacturers, to traders, to the services sectors, such as banking, freight forwarding, transport, insurance, and many more.
But for anyone wanting to move into the field of foreign trade, and especially exports, be they a school leaver or someone already on the career trail, what should they expect from this exciting and lucrative business field.
Exporting is an area of business that incorporates a range of business skills. The marketing of products and services in foreign countries presents great challenges if you are marketing and sales-orientated, while the next step of getting the product delivered to the foreign customer involves a complex area of business administration, international transport and logistics. Some of this is managed by the producer/exporter and much is handled by support services, such as the freight forwarding community.
Payment for goods is the ultimate objective and requires an understanding not only of accounting, but also of banking and foreign exchange. Therefore, some accounting experience or rate numeracy may be the route to an interesting career in exports. And for those with a legal leaning, there is the fact that sound commercial contracts under-write all good business deals. Drawing up contracts demands knowledge of local and foreign legal principles and practices.
Bringing all these aspects together makes its own demands on management, which is why export management is an acknowledged area of management in its own right. The very nature of exporting, the combination of complex systems and disciplines, different cultural requirements across the globe, different product and packaging standards and different legal codes mean that both individuals and companies need to acquire the special knowledge and skills to ensure success in this field.
In its endeavours to build export capacity within southern Africa, while taking up the challenges of international trade requires specialised skills and knowledge. The IEX Diploma in Export Management, offered by the IMM Graduate School of Marketing, covers the essential practical and theoretical aspects of the export management process and is designed to provide immediate, hands-on benefits to those working within the export environment – enabling progression from export administration to managing an entire export department. In essence, it provides a stepping stone to global competitiveness in exports.
This three-year qualification is offered through the convenience of distance learning for management and international trade staff alike, who benefit from the flexibility of this mode of delivery, or through selected IMM Graduate School of Marketing Student Support Centres, where students receive face-to-face tuition.
The diploma provides a thorough understanding of the fundamental principles of foreign trade and practical aspects of the multi-faceted export process. The IEX Diploma enables the skills and knowledge necessary to function efficiently and profitably in the international trade arena and the international division of a company. The programme also assists students develop expertise in problem-solving and critical analysis pertaining to the business of export.
The exciting aspects of exporting revolve around the fact that you deal with people and situations in different countries, with different cultures and different ways of doing business. There is always something new to learn in this dynamic industry.
For further information contact the IMM Graduate School of Marketing on 011 628 2000 or visit www.imm.co.za.