Do you want to develop your critical thinking, financial management, business planning, and corporate social responsibility skills? Whether managing change, developing strategy or improving performance, this course prepares you for leadership as a future-focused business professional.
The Advanced Certificate of Business is a professional development course that provides you with the knowledge and skills to analyse problems, manage risk, and make informed decisions concerning organisational goals.
In this online business course, you will develop practical skills in management, leadership, and senior operational roles across a wide range of industries. You will also explore complex problem-solving, organisational finance, business planning, and ethical leadership.
You will also have the opportunity to select elective subjects, such as workforce planning, change management, innovation, strategy, communication, leadership, and risk management, to meet your professional development needs.
On completion of this course, you will feel confident to lead teams and influence positive outcomes at an organisational level.
Course Structure
Advanced Certificate of Business - Complete 4 Core Units
Unit 1 – Apply Critical Thinking for Complex Problem-Solving
- Complex problem solving
- Scope and impact
- Problem identification
- Impacts
- Brainstorming
- Optimal solutions
- Implementing plans
- Critical thinking
- Creative thinking
- Gathering information
- Research
- Task objectives
- Risk management
- Risk management strategies
- Documenting problems
- Legislative frameworks
- Policies
- Resources
- Stakeholders
- Stakeholder identification
- Identification techniques
- Problem solving
- Problem mapping
- Mind maps
- Problem solving software
- Ideation
- Generating solutions
- Selection criteria
- Barriers to decision making
- Preparing a brief
- Feedback register
- Evaluating feedback
- Refining solutions
Unit 2 – Manage Organisational Finances
- Financial planning
- Budgets and data
- Budgeting periods
- Snapshots of financial situation
- Statutory requirements
- Taxation
- Company tax’
- Employee PAYG
- Goods and services tax
- Financial management software
- Establish budgets and allocate funds
- Preparing budgets
- Data
- Different budgets
- Responsibility accounting
- Circulation and compliance
- Information sharing
- Implementing budgets
- Tracking
- Cash flow budgets
- How cash flow works
- Cash outflows
- Cost analysis and reporting procedures
- Break-even analysis
- The variable cost percent per unit of sales
- Profit and loss reports
- Ratio analysis
- Auditing, and using financial reports
- Due diligence
- Probity
- Financial reports
- Discussion and analysis
- Performance evaluation
Unit 3 – Develop and Implement Business Plans
- Establishing a business plan
- Drawing up plans
- Why plans are necessary
- Starting a business
- Developing a business plan
- Inclusions in a business plan
- Start up businesses (plan)
- Business plans – outline and elements
- Existing businesses
- The planning process
- Strategies and operations
- Operational plans
- Inclusions in operational plans
- Strategic plans
- Strategic planning process (senior management)
- Mission
- Values and vision
- Goals and objectives
- Strategies
- PEST and SWOT analyses
- Environment and society
- Continuous improvement
- Communication
- Contingency plans
- Monitoring and evaluation and reports
- Performance reports
- Analysing employee performance (KPIs and KRAs)
- Coaching and training for underperformance
Unit 4 – Lead Corporate Social Responsibility
- Corporate social responsibility
- Environmental responsibility
- Ethical responsibility
- Philanthropic responsibility
- Economic responsibility
- Social responsibility drivers
- Barriers and benefits of corporate social responsibility
- Legislation
- International standards and initiatives
- Organisational policies
- Socially responsible practices
- Opportunities for responsible practice
- CSR failures to learn from
- Corporate social responsibility planning
- Stakeholder engagement
- Ways to engage stakeholders
- Change management
- Managing change
- Developing CSR strategies
- Incorporating strategies in organisational systems
- A plan to execute the strategy
- Goals
- Business objectives
- Business plans
- Social media responsibility plans
- Promoting corporate social responsibility
- Making it memorable
- Integrate with PR strategies
- Getting employees involved
- CSR integration
- Steps in reviewing processes
- Auditing CSR
- Making recommendations
Advanced Certificate of Business - Electives - Select 4
Please list your four selected units in the notes section at the time of enrolment.
Unit 1 – Contribute to Strategic Workforce Planning
- HR organisational objectives
- Organisational goals and plans
- Strategies and emerging trends
- Future labour needs
- Skills requirements and options for sourcing labour
- Strategic plans
- Technology – external influences and trends
- Economic, market and technological trends
- Demographic trends and labour force
- General population trends
- Labour shortages and demands
- Direction, objectives and targets
- External data
- Changes to industrial and legal requirements
- Consulting relevant managers
- The value of planning
- HR philosophies values and policies
- HR strategic objectives and planning
- Costs and benefits
- Risk management plans
- Contingency plans
- Strategic human resource planning
- Implementing the plan
- HR strategies
- Policy development strategies
- Monitor and review the plan
Unit 2 – Lead and Manage Organisational Change
- Change management
- Goals and objectives
- Change
- Forecasting
- The input/output procedure
- Budgets
- Forecasting techniques
- Risk assessment and management
- Individual risk
- Change management strategies
- Responsibilities
- Ideas
- Sponsors
- Orchestrators
- Change agents
- Leaders
- Planning change
- Managing change
- Change models
- Lewin
- Beer
- Nadler and Tushman
- Bandura
- Kubler-Ross
- Change management strategies
- Education – effective communication plan
- Effective change strategies
- Innovation
- Introducing change
- Assess and evaluate proposed changes
- Change leading to improvement
- Change situations
- Costs and benefits
- Project plans – for managing change
- Restructuring to support change
- Communication plans
Unit 3 – Manage Innovation and Continuous Improvement
- Teams and continuous improvement and innovation
- Effective work teams
- Communicating objectives, expectations and desired outcomes
- Evaluating the performance of critical systems
- Collecting and analysing data
- Evaluating business performance
- The balanced scorecard
- Conducting tests to make a diagnosis
- Using diagnostic models
- Input and output improvement
- Stakeholders
- Continuous improvement
- Active listening
- Problem solving
- Customer focus and quality control
- Quality assurance
- Change or improvement = risk
- Risk management
- Focus groups
- Economic models
- Trialling new ideas
- Mentoring team members
- Organisational barriers
- Structures and management behaviours that stifle initiative and innovation
- Contribution and role of the manager
- Improving the way things are done
- Operational plans
- Analysing performance and variances
- Best practice
- Supply chains
- Gap analysis
- Identifying improvement needs and opportunities
- Decision making and performance analysis
- Continuous improvement
- Developing idea
- Vertical thinking
- Lateral thinking
- Types of innovation
- Innovation traps
- Determining whether to innovate and make changes
- Managing change (proposals and plans)
- Contingency plans
- Investigating failure
- Fault tree analysis
- Event tree analysis
- Fishbone diagrams
- Knowledge management systems
- Data storage
- Lessons learnt
- Evaluating continuous improvement
- PDCA cycle (E.Deming/Shewhart)
- Cost benefit analysis
- Communicating changes
- Knowledge management systems
- Continuous improvement systems
- Creativity and innovation theories and concepts
- Critical thinking models
- Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Model
Unit 4 – Develop Organisational Strategies
- Planning
- Aims
- Processes
- Evaluation
- Direction
- Organisational values
- Planning models
- Goals-based planning
- Issues-based planning
- Organic strategic planning
- Timing
- Planning focus
- Gaining support
- Stakeholder influence
- Engagement
- Information in strategic planning
- The competition and the market
- Market information/ market research
- Capacity and capability information
- Internal information – performance review data
- Environmental scans
- Strengths and weaknesses – tools
- STEEP, PEST and SWAT analyses
- Co-operative or joint ventures
- Risk assessments
- Simulations
- Monte Carlo simulation
- Fault tree analysis
- Event tree analysis
- Focus groups
- Econometric models
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Research and background
- Organisational plans
- The SIPOCC model
- Controls
- Formulating strategic objectives
- Prioritising objectives
- Documenting plans
- Competitor analysis
- Industry – competitive force
- Final check of plan
- Action plans
- Required resources (skilled labour)
- Communication
- Performance monitoring and measurement
- Performance measurement criteria
Unit 5 – Communicate With Influence
- Presenting materials
- Confirming permission
- Confidentiality
- Identify audience needs
- Information needs
- Seek referral
- Addressing a meeting
- Complaints
- Communication barriers
- Suspicious inquiries
- Organisation standards and procedures
- The definition process
- The identification process
- Documenting potential issues and problems
- Prepare positions and supporting arguments
- Prepare for a negative customer response
- Areas of common ground
- Consulting with affected parties
- Solutions
- Legal requirements for consultation
- Document negotiation outcomes
- Schedule routine meetings
- Legal and ethical requirements of meetings
- Distribute meeting materials
- Conducting meetings
- Contribute to discussions
- Seek consensus on meeting objectives
- Summarise and distribute outcomes
- Identify forums
- Seating arrangements
- Tone structure and style of communication
- Communicating with others
- Non-verbal communication
- Cross-cultural communication
- Provide opportunity for questions
- Evaluate presentation
- Identify areas for improvement
- Constructive feedback
Unit 6 – Provide Leadership Across the Organisation
- Leadership
- Vision and mission
- Matching values
- Obligations and integrity
- Trust-based relationships
- Organisation-based requirements
- Incident management
- Motivation
- Maslow’s Hierarchy
- Motivating others
- Building relationships
- Flexibility
- Community image
- Leader involvement
- Tripe Bottom Line (TBL)
- TBL Objectives
- Trust and Influence
- Communication
- Decision-making
- Assessing risks
- Problem-solving models
- Systems approach
- Data analysis
- Decision-making styles
- Change management
- Communicating decisions
- Managing teams
- Influence and motivation
- Delegation
Unit 7 – Manage Business Risk
- Evaluate organisational processes
- Scope for risk management
- Review strengths and weaknesses of existing arrangement
- Types of risk
- Critical success factors goals and objectives
- Document storage
- Communication with stakeholders
- Document risks on consultation with relevant parties
- Assess the likelihood of risks occurring
- Assess impact or consequence if risk occurs
- Impact analysis
- Evaluate and prioritise risks for treatment
- Probability and impact matrix
- Categorising risk
- Treating risks
- Action plans for risk treatment
- Communicating risk management processes to relevant parties
- Implement action plan according to polices and procedures
- Evaluate risk management processes
- Tools and techniques to identify risks
Unit 8 – Manage Personal and Professional Development
- Manage work goal development
- Document team member responsibilities and work goals
- Development of work goals
- Skills mapping
- Organisational frameworks for the development of work goals
- Support others to develop work goals
- Feedback on work goals
- Facilitate access to personal and PD opportunities
- Assess and prioritise demands
- To do lists
- Being busy with invaluable activities
- Project planning
- Using technology to manage work priorities
- Manage team health and well-being in the workplace
- Managing stress
- Documenting development needs using applicable competency standards
- Positive and constructive feedback
- Professional development activities
- Professional development policies
- Learning styles
- Networking
Unit 9 – Lead Communication in the Workforce
- Analyse internal and external workplace information
- Communication protocols
- Identify ways to adapt communication tools
- Methods of communication
- Communication protocols
- Structure
- Adapt communication protocols
- Prepare materials for communication protocols
- Direct others to communicate
- Explain complex information to positively influence others
- Motivate others to communicate respectfully
- Consider those from diverse backgrounds
- Identify and address barriers to understanding
- Techniques for solving communication challenges
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
- Use communication styles relevant to varying audiences
- Verbal and non-verbal communication
- Written communication
- Present information in a succinct, clear and persuasive manner
- Evaluate differences in perspective and critically
- Seeing both sides
- Negotiate towards a final outcomes
- Confirm and implement outcomes of negotiation
- Mentor to others to assist them in achieving communication goals
- What is mentoring?
- Identify needs and goals
- Mentoring methods
- Manage feedback
- Identify and document areas for improvement
- Improve communication processes
Study Hours
Estimated duration 120
Course Delivery and Start
Start anytime, self-paced and 100% online
Assessment
Assessment will be comprised of written exercises, including short-answer questions, reflective tasks, short reports and/or projects. There are no examinations in this course.
Testimonials
Graduation
A Certificate of Attainment and Statement of Results will be issued upon successful completion of this course.
How to Enrol
Enrolment Form – Employment Services and Rehabilitation Providers
Enrol via Live Chat (Business Hours)
Enrol via Telephone 1300 76 2221 (Business Hours)
Payment Options
Visa, Mastercard, BPAY and EFT/Direct Deposit. Please allow 1-2 Business days for processing for EFT and BPAY.
Course FAQs
Why Choose Australian Online Courses?
- Professional development that is widely recognised and respected;
- Improve your employment opportunities;
- Study online, anywhere via our elearning system;
- High-quality professional development programs written by industry experts;
- All course materials provided online – no textbooks to buy;
- Unlimited tutor support via email;
- We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply);
- Course may be tax deductible; see your tax advisor.
Are there any entry requirements or pre-requisites?
There are no course or subject pre-requisites for entry into our programs. However, our professional development programs are generally intended for people over the age of 18. In some circumstances, enrolments from younger people may be considered. Please complete the AOC Parent Guardian Consent Form prior to enrolling and submit here.
Are there any computer requirements?
To study online with Australian Online Courses you will need a computer (desktop PC/laptop) running a current/updated operating system with reliable high-speed internet access. You will need to use the Google Chrome browser to access your course.
When can I start this course?
You can start within 60 minutes during business hours when you enrol and pay in full with a credit card!
Credit card: Within 60 mins during business hours.
BPAY: Within 1-2 working days.
Internet Banking: Within 1-2 working days.
Cheque/Money Order: Upon receipt of mailed cheque.
How is this course delivered?
This course is delivered online via our easy-to-navigate Learning Management System (LMS), where you will discover interactive online learning/written content, resources and assessment.
Do I need to attend classes or undertake any work placements?
No. All courses are delivered online via our LMS and there are no work placement requirements in this course.
What support can I expect from Australian Online Courses?
Unlimited tutor support is available throughout your studies via email only during business hours Monday to Friday. Our Administrative team are available Monday to Friday via email, live chat and telephone.
I am an international student. Can I enrol into this course?
Yes! We accept enrolments from individuals both within Australia and internationally; location is no barrier to entry into our programs.
Career Pathways
Future growth
Strong
Unemployment
Low
Professional development for:
- Managers and emerging leaders
- Business owners and entrepreneurs
- Team leaders and supervisors
- HR and workforce planning professionals
- Project and operations managers
- Professionals preparing for senior or strategic roles
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