Table Of ContentABE Level 5 Diploma
in Business Management
ABE Level 5 Diploma
in Business Management
and Human Resources
ABE Level 5 Diploma
in Business Management
and Marketing
Qualification Specification
Version 2.0 March 2018
© ABE 2018 All rights reserved
Contents
About ABE ............................................................................................................... 3
Why study with ABE ................................................................................................ 4
Managing Agile Organisations and People ............................................................. 18
Innovation and Business Performance ................................................................... 25
Effective Financial Management ............................................................................. 34
International Business Economics and Markets ..................................................... 42
Operations Management ....................................................................................... 49
Analytical Decision-making .................................................................................... 53
Managing Stakeholder Relationships ..................................................................... 59
Human Resource Management ............................................................................. 66
Employee Engagement .......................................................................................... 71
The HR Professional .............................................................................................. 76
Integrated Marketing Communications ................................................................... 83
Buyer and Consumer Behaviour ............................................................................ 91
Societal and Social Marketing ................................................................................ 97
Appendix A .......................................................................................................... 102
Version control
Launch version June 2017
Version 2.0 March 2018
© ABE Level 5 Diplomas Qualification Specification Version 2.0 March 2018 page 2
About ABE
Recognition
ABE qualifications are designated higher education qualifications. They are aligned to the Framework for Higher
Education Qualifications (FHEQ) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Quality Assurance Agency (QAA)
Subject Benchmark Statements. These qualifications are part of the UK Regulated Qualifications Framework
(RQF).
Ofqual, we have agreements or recognition by regulatory authorities in many other countries where we operate
check our website for more details.
ABE diplomas
Our diplomas are management focused and blend common units with more specialist subject areas, enabling
you to develop expertise in particular disciplines as well as a strong understanding of business management in
general. They represent the latest in professional standards and provide opportunities for students to develop
professional behaviours. Our focus on developing practical workplace skills alongside academic expertise, is a
winning combination for ABE graduates.
ABE diplomas are valued internationally because they are:
Professional Our qualifications are designed to give you the knowledge and skills you need to
excel in a managerial career.
Affordable ABE is a not-for-profit organisation; as such we endeavour to keep costs to a
minimum. Our fast track routes to degrees are often much less expensive than
traditional routes.
Recognised In addition to respected regulatory authorities, our qualifications are recognised by
colleges, universities, employers and governments around the world.
Supported As an ABE member, you can access a wealth of resources designed to support
your studies, and enhance your learning experience. Each ABE unit has its own
study guide and we support our colleges with a wealth of tuition resources to help
them deliver teaching to an outstanding standard.
International For more than 40 years, learners around the world have been benefitting from ABE
qualifications.
Proven Our alumni speak for themselves see their testimonials on our website. They work
in a diverse range of industries and organisations. Many are in top jobs or running
their own successful enterprises.
Flexible You can study full time or part time at a pace that suits you. All our diplomas
provide expertise in business management and offer you the option of specialising
in Marketing or Human Resources alongside this.
A great route ABEs diplomas have credits which are accepted by universities around the world.
Holders of ABE diplomas can fast track onto a degree course, meaning the cost of
to university
your education is dramatically reduced.
© ABE Level 5 Diplomas Qualification Specification Version 2.0 March 2018 page 3
Why study with ABE
ABE has an outstanding history and an excellent global reputation. Our qualifications are designed to give you the
best chance of achieving your full potential in your chosen career. There is a world of opportunity waiting for you,
and ABE can help you seize that opportunity and succeed.
The content and format of our qualifications are the outcome of extensive research which explored the skills
employees need to possess in order for businesses to succeed. When redeveloping the new qualifications in
Business, we collaborated with a wide range of students, employers, higher education providers, colleges and
subject experts to ensure that the new qualifications meet their needs and expectations. Our findings highlighted
that organisations require staff with a set of strong core business skills that can be flexible and adapted to diverse
environments.
outstanding portfolio. Our qualifications are designed to adapt and develop in line with the needs and demands
of employers now and in the future.
Whether you dream of becoming an entrepreneur, getting a great job, being promoted to senior management, or
if you are already in a leadership role and want to enhance your professional skill set, an ABE qualification will help
you turn your plans into reality.
About your qualification
ABE is regulated by Ofqual which evaluates qualifications by difficulty level. Qualifications at the same level are
broadly similar in the knowledge and depth of understanding required to pass them, but the size and the content
of qualifications at the same level can vary. The diagram below shows how the levels progress.
Level 6
Same level of
Level 5 difficulty as:
bachelor's degree
Same level of final year
Level 4 difficulty as: UK
Foundation degree,
Same level of bachelor's degree
Level 3 difficulty as: BTEC second year
Professional
Same level of Diploma, bachelor's
difficulty as: UK degree first year
A-Levels, BTEC
National Certificate
© ABE Level 5 Diplomas Qualification Specification Version 2.0 March 2018 page 4
Pathways
enter at Level 3 and progress all the way to Level 6, enabling you to accumulate the credits needed for a
university top-
academic judgement
ABE Level 4
Foundation
Diploma in
Business
Management
Level Level (60 credits) Level Level
3 ABE Level 3 4 ABE Level 4 5 ABE Level 5 6 ABE Level 6
Certificate in Diploma in Diploma in Diploma in
Business Business Business Business
Essentials (24 Management Management Management
credits) (120 Credits) (120 Credits) (120 Credits)
ABE Level 4 ABE Level 5 ABE Level 6
Diploma in Diploma in Diploma in
Business Business Business
Management Management Management
and Human and Human and Human
Resources (120 Resources (120 Resources (120
Credits) Credits) Credits)
ABE Level 4 ABE Level 5 ABE Level 6
Diploma in Diploma in Diploma in
Business Business Business
Management Management Management
and Marketing and Marketing and Marketing
(120 Credits) (120 Credits) (120 Credits)
© ABE Level 5 Diplomas Qualification Specification Version 2.0 March 2018 page 5
Qualification titles and codes
ABE Level 5 Diploma in three pathways:
ABE Level 5 Diploma in Business Management (603/1596/9)
ABE Level 5 Diploma in Business Management and Human Resources (603/1597/0)
ABE Level 5 Diploma in Business Management and Marketing (603/1598/2)
Qualification purpose
The purpose of s is to extend your knowledge and understanding of businesses and the
business environment, enabling you to adopt a more analytical approach of the challenges and opportunities
faced by businesses.
The Level 5 qualifications aim to prepare you for progression to a higher level of study through their coverage of
core business and management theory, and their credit value of 120 credits make them an ideal springboard for
academic progression. The core theories are balanced with application and skills development to prepare you for
the next step in your career.
Specifically, you will cover organisational management, business finance, and business performance and
innovation, as well as the international aspects of business management, allowing you to develop your
management and decision-making skills. The ABE Level 5 Diplomas also enable you to choose a specialism
(which you may have already done at Level 4) in Business Management, Human Resources or Marketing,
enabling you to study these areas in more depth.
At Level 5, the Business Management programme will allow you to focus on two of three areas: operation
management, analytical decision-making or managing stakeholder relationships. All three areas complement the
core business management subjects you will study and will further develop your management skills and
competencies.
At Level 5, the Human Resources Management programme will allow you to focus on two of three areas: human
resource management, employee engagement or the HR professional. Again, all three areas complement the
core business management subjects you will study and will further develop your management skills and
competencies.
Finally, at Level 5, the Marketing programme will allow you to focus on two of three areas: integrated marketing
communications, buyer and consumer behaviour or societal and social marketing. As with the other specialist
routes, these areas complement the core business management subjects you will study and will further develop
your management skills and competencies.
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Qualification objectives
The objectives of the ABE Level 5 qualifications in Business are as follows:
▪ To equip learners with business skills, knowledge and the understanding necessary to achieve high
performance in the global business environment.
▪ To provide education and training for a range of careers in business, including management, human
resources and marketing.
▪ To provide insight and understanding into international business operations and the opportunities and
challenges presented by a globalised market place.
▪ To equip learners with knowledge and understanding of culturally diverse organisations, cross-cultural
issues, diversity and values.
▪ To provide opportunities for learners to enter or progress in employment in business, or progress to
higher education qualifications.
▪ To provide opportunities for learners to develop the skills, techniques and personal attributes essential for
successful working lives.
▪ To provide opportunities for those learners with a global outlook to aspire to international career
pathways.
▪ To provide opportunities for learners to achieve a nationally-recognised professional qualification.
▪ To offer learners the chance of career progression in their chosen field.
▪ To allow flexibility of study and to meet local or specialist needs.
Who it is for
The ABE Level 5 Diplomas are for learners who are capable of reaching the standards required to study at Level
More specifically, the qualification is for those who are looking to develop their knowledge and skills in business
management to enable progression to higher levels of study or to a middle management level role in the
workplace.
Entry guidance
There are no formal entry requirements to study ABE Level 5 Diplomas; however, the centre should ensure that
you have a reasonable expectation of success on the programme by assessing your previous qualifications
and/or related work experience.
Hence, it is responsibility to use their professional and academic judgement when assisting you in
making the decision at which level you should enter the ABE programmes.
In order to successfully study for an ABE qualification, you should have an appropriate level of English Language
skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening). For the ABE Level 5 Diplomas, ABE recommends the following
standards are met:
▪ IELTS 6
▪ Cambridge ESOL Cambridge English Advanced (point score 169 or above)
▪ Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) 56
▪ Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) B2
Centres
must be satisfied that the score is equivalent to those recommended above.
© ABE Level 5 Diplomas Qualification Specification Version 2.0 March 2018 page 7
Structure
ABE Level 5 Diploma in Business Management
ABE Level 5 Diploma in Business Management and Human Resources
ABE Level 5 Diploma in Business Management and Marketing
Each of the ABE Level 5 Diplomas consists of six mandatory units. The first four units are the core units and
you must choose two of the three suggested optional units from your chosen specialism (Business Management,
Human Resources, or Marketing). You must complete all six mandatory units and achieve a minimum of a Pass in
all units in order to be awarded the qualification.
The Total Qualification Time (TQT) for each of the ABE Level 5 Diplomas is 1200 hours.
Each of the ABE Level 5 Diplomas is worth 120 credits.
ABE Level 5 Diploma in Business Management
ABE
GL Credit Assessment
Unit Unit Title Level TQT
H s Method
Code
Core 5UMAO Managing Agile Organisations and 5 70 200 20 Assignment
Mandatory People
Core 5UIBP Innovation and Business 5 70 200 20 Examination
Mandatory Performance
Core 5UEFM Effective Financial Management 5 70 200 20 Examination
Mandatory
Core 5UIBE International Business Economics 5 70 200 20 Examination
Mandatory and Markets
Optional 5UOM Operations Management 5 70 200 20 Assignment
Optional 5UADM Analytical Decision-making 5 70 200 20 Assignment
Optional 5UMSR Managing Stakeholder 5 70 200 20 Assignment
Relationships
© ABE Level 5 Diplomas Qualification Specification Version 2.0 March 2018 page 8
ABE Level 5 Diploma in Business Management and Human Resources
ABE
GL Credit Assessment
Unit Unit Title Level TQT
H s Method
Code
Core 5UMAO Managing Agile Organisations and 5 70 200 20 Assignment
Mandatory People
Core 5UIBP Innovation and Business 5 70 200 20 Examination
Mandatory Performance
Core 5UEFM Effective Financial Management 5 70 200 20 Examination
Mandatory
Core 5UIBE International Business Economics 5 70 200 20 Examination
Mandatory and Markets
Optional 5UHRM Human Resource Management 5 70 200 20 Assignment
Optional 5UEE Employee Engagement 5 70 200 20 Assignment
Optional 5UHRP The HR Professional 5 70 200 20 Assignment
ABE Level 5 Diploma in Business Management and Marketing
ABE
GL Credit Assessment
Unit Unit Title Level TQT
H s Method
Code
Core 5UMAO Managing Agile Organisations and 5 70 200 20 Assignment
Mandatory People
Core 5UIBP Innovation and Business 5 70 200 20 Examination
Mandatory Performance
Core 5UEFM Effective Financial Management 5 70 200 20 Examination
Mandatory
Core 5UIBE International Business Economics 5 70 200 20 Examination
Mandatory and Markets
Optional 5UIMC Integrated Marketing 5 70 200 20 Assignment
Communications
Optional 5UBCB Buyer and Consumer Behaviour 5 70 200 20 Assignment
Optional 5USSM Societal and Social Marketing 5 70 200 20 Assignment
© ABE Level 5 Diplomas Qualification Specification Version 2.0 March 2018 page 9
Progression
With this qualification
you can go straight
onto a masters
(included MBA) degree
With this qualification
you can get onto the
final year of a
bachelors degree Level 6
With this qualification
Level 5 Will give you the strategic skills
you can get onto the
needed for progression into a
second year of a
senior management role with
bachelors degree
Will equip you for a the responsibility to setting
middle management and driving strategic goals
role, perhaps leading a
Level 4
small team of people
The grounding you need
to help you successfully
complete the next ABE Will give you the skills you need
academic level for a junior management role,
such as a general manager, a
digital marketing executive or an
Level 3
HR officer
Will help to prepare you for
a junior business role,
such as an administrator,
marketing assistant or HR
assistant
, after completing one of our qualifications,
you can progress to employment or to a higher level of study.
ABE offers you a full framework of qualifications that have been designed for you to be able to progress right from
Level 3 all the way up to Level 6. Each qualification builds from the one before, taking you from introductory units
through to strategic ones.
ABE allows you to progress from one level to the next with one trailing unit. You must ensure to fully complete the
initial level in order to be awarded the next level. Should the higher level be completed first, ABE will withhold the
certificates until the initial level is achieved.
The ABE Level 5 Diplomas are each worth 120 credits, making them ideal for progression to higher education
(e.g. a university degree) or Diplomas. You can also take advantage of one of our university
partnerships (see website for more details on progression arrangement and exemptions).
© ABE Level 5 Diplomas Qualification Specification Version 2.0 March 2018 page 10
Description:you to develop expertise in particular disciplines as well as a strong understanding of business management in general resource management, employee engagement or the HR professional relevant workplace skills and competencies that you will develop through studying an ABE qualification.
