Marketing designations make progress

The two providers are Wits Business School (WBS) and the IMM Graduate School of Business (IMM). Dates have been scheduled in May, June, September and November for each provider to run two certification sessions.

Each session will comprise a three-day workshop followed a week later by a board examination, all based on case studies and practical applications. Registration and programme payment will take place with the association and it will manage the process, details of which are available on request from its office administrator.

Successful applicants deemed competent against their portfolio of evidence as well as their performance in the workshops and board examination will receive the CMSA designation. The association will manage and maintain a membership relationship with them.

Calling current CMAs

A December survey established that a membership contract with a professional body was important in grounding the CMSA as a bona fide professional designation, in keeping with other designations such as Chartered Accountants and Chartered Secretaries. Thus in 2010, all new and all current CMSAs will need to be paid-up members of the association (the membership fee being R1000 for 2010 and included in the programme fee for new applicants).

The role of MA(SA) is to ensure that all CMSAs and MPSAs meet their annual CPD requirements and that on renewal of their annual membership, they confirm their CPD programme and sign an agreement to adhere to the applicable code of ethics and conduct. The MA(SA) will be responsible for establishing a disciplinary process, which will comprise an investigations structure to act on any reported infringements of the code, a disciplinary tribunal to conduct the hearing and an appeals process to finalise the outcome.

Benefits of designation

• Designations enhance the professional image and profile of the marketer and contribute to the upliftment of the general image of marketing as a central service to all business and consumers that can be trusted and valued
  
• Employers of marketers will be persuaded to integrate the hiring of suitable professional marketers (ie CMSAs and MPSAs in good standing and who are accountable to a professional body) into their risk management structures. This will be in keeping with the King 3 code of governance that now includes investor/customer relations, brand value and reputation as a vital element in good governance practices. The marketer is the responsible person in any organisation to ensure that these governance aspects are implemented - and an accountable professional is the obvious choice if a company is serious about mitigating all risks with regard to brand value and reputation.

Management of designations

The process and governance structures that will ensure a sustainable and credible management of the designations are currently being finalised and put in place.

• Working group - made up of CMSAs, the Services SETA, the Services SETA Chartered Marketer Advisory Council, the Marketing Association, SAQA
  
• Education group - made up of the above, but with the inclusion of provider representatives (still being constituted)
  
• Academic committee - made up of representatives from the major tertiary education institutions involved in marketing education (WBS, IMM, GIBBS, UCT, Stellenbosch) to ensure that the process to certification is up-to-date and credible
  
• Central governing structure in terms of reporting and financial control will be achieved in terms of a separate section to be added to the constitution that provides for ring fencing of the funds to ensure these funds are used purely for the purposes of managing, developing, marketing and maintaining the designations.

This constitution will provide for a seat on the MA(SA) board to look after CMSA and MPSA interests and to ensure that the constitution clauses are adhered to and upheld. CMSAs and MPSAs, through their membership of the association, will be able to vote at AGMs and maintain control of their professional designations. The time frame for completion of this is the next MA(SA) AGM scheduled for the end of May 2010.

Membership meeting

A separate PR/marketing campaign for MPSA designations will be implemented in a few weeks, as soon as the association has finalised the process and procedures for conferring these designations.

The association plans to host a meeting of all CMSAs and MPSAs within the next month in order to promote and encourage interaction on these important issues and invites the industry to email its thoughts and suggestions to .

Also go to www.marketingsa.co.za for more information.