Subject Code: PIB260S
Date: 21st June 2021
Pages: 4
Time: 11h10 – 14h10
Answer all questions.
Read the case study below and answer question 1 and 2.
MSC Cruises will work with We Are Social to strengthen the content strategy that lies at
the heart of the conversation between MSC Cruises and various local followers all over
the world. We Are Social will activate an international team of 450 specialists based in 8
different international offices, a structure that will enable it to define and coordinate a
creative approach that is consistent with each country’s needs.
MSC Cruises has always placed great importance in developing a relationship and
dialogue with the wide community of holidaymakers and cruisers, so the new
collaboration with We Are Social will allow MSC to enhance its knowledge of the needs
of travelers and potential travelers in different countries and address them.
“This new partnership with We Are Social marks a ramping-up of our drive to engage with
diverse online communities in ways that traditional marketing cannot. This is proof that
MSC Cruises believes and invests in the potential of social media “declared Luca Catzola,
MSC Cruises Chief Marketing Officer. “We will be rolling out exciting new content on all
of our platforms as we head towards a bright future” added David Arcifa, MSC Cruises
Corporate Social Media Manager.
Social media already plays an important role in the way MSC Cruises talks to travelers
and cruise lovers, with the use of a dedicated hashtag #MedWayOfLife, with over
2.4million Facebook fans, five million views on its dedicated YouTube channel, 80,000
Twitter followers and a burgeoning Instagram fan base.
We Are Social Italia cofounders and managing directors Gabriele Cucinella, Stefano
Maggi and Ottavio Nava stated: “Brands are understanding the increasing importance of
a strategic and creative coordination of social activities. Our collaboration with MSC
Cruises represents another step forward in this direction, to allow the evolution of the
brand’s social thinking.”
Subject Code: PIB260S
Date: 21st June 2021
Pages: 4
Time: 11h10 – 14h10
MSC Cruise is the market leading cruise company in the Mediterranean, South Africa and
Brazil and operates across the globe. MSC Cruises sails throughout the year in the
Mediterranean and in the Caribbean and offers a wide range of seasonal itineraries in
Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the French Antilles, South America, Southern
Africa, as well as Dubai, the Emirates and Oman. Its modern fleet comprises of twelve
ships: Fantasia class MSC Preziosa, MSC Divina, MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia;
Musica class MSC Magnifica, MSC Poesia, MSC Orchestra, and MSC Musica; Lirica
class MSC Sinfonia, MSC Armonia, MSC Opera and MSC Lirica.
MSC Cruises is the only company in the world to receive the “7 Golden Pearls” award
from the Bureau Veritas in recognition of its high level of quality management and
environmental responsibility. MSC has also achieved ISO 9001 and ISO 22000
certification for the quality and food safety of all aspects of its catering, both on shore and
on board. MSC Cruises believes that global leadership brings increased responsibility
towards the physical and human environments in which it operates. As such, a long term
partnership with UNICEF was undertaken in 2009 to support educational programmes for
children in Brazil, for which almost three million euros were raised. The partnership was
renewed early 2014, this time to support UNICEF’s efforts to tackle malnutrition in
developing countries and in emergency situations.
We are social is a conversation agency. We help brands listening, understanding and
activating social media conversations. We are a new kind of agency that combines an
innate understanding of social media with digital, PR (Personal Relations), and marketing.
We are focused on developing an innovative, creative and effective approach to social
media marketing. We are an international team of 450 specialists based in 8 different
international offices: Milan, New York, London, Paris, Munich, Singapore, Sydney and
Sao Paolo. Our mission is to bring “social thinking” to the heart of marketing. We are
already helping many international Clients such as Sky, Henkel, BNL Gruppo BNP
Paribas, Mondelez, Barilla, Lavazza, Adidas and BIC.
Source: Adapted from https://www.msccruises.co.za/za en/About-MSCCruises/News/MSC-Cruises-Partnership-With-Agency-We-Are-Social.aspx
Subject Code: PIB260S
Date: 21st June 2021
Pages: 4
Time: 11h10 – 14h10
Question 1
The success of MSC is grounded in their vision and mission (strategy) from day one to
the present day. Clearly discuss how MSC’s vision and mission managed to take the
company where it is today.
(20 marks)
Question 2
With reference to MSC cruising in the future, discuss “Joint venture” as a possible
strategy as a means of competing in high velocity markets.
(5 marks)
Question 3
A project Quality Management Plan addresses the following aspects of quality namely:
Quality Planning, Quality assurance, and Quality Control.
Briefly explain the differences between these aspects and their importance to ensure
customer satisfaction. Also, name the tools / techniques associated with these aspects.
(16 marks)
Date: 21st June 2021
Subject Code: PIB260S
Pages: 4
Time: 11h10 – 14h10
Question 4
A building construction company has been awarded a new project. The company has
eight laborers available per day for this project and the concern is whether this resource
allocation will be sufficient to complete the project on time. The data in days for the new
contract is listed in the following table:
Activity
Immediate
Duration
predecessor
Labor Available /
Day
A
2
2
B
4
5
C
2
3
D
5
2
E
A, B
2
4
F
C, D
3
2
G
D
6
2
H
C, E
3
3
I
F, G, H
5
2
J
E, H
9
4
4.1 Construct a resource histogram showing the current resource allocation and resource
loading.
(7 marks)
4.1 Comment in your current resource allocation and loading.
TOTAL = 50 Marks
(2 marks)