Page 8 - OCS Workbook - Day 2 Tasks (May 2018)

CIMA MAY 2018 – OPERATIONAL CASE STUDY

TRIGGER
This morning Gwen Giovanni sent you the following email:

From: Gwen Giovanni

Date: Today
Subject: Beijing Fashion Week 2018

Hi
As you may be aware, Melanie Zhang has entered into discussions with the organisers of the
Beijing Fashion Week with a view to Mansako attending and even sponsoring the event.
As well as hosting our own exhibition area, sponsorship would result in the Mansako logo being
used on official marketing and literature.
There will be a meeting to discuss the details of this plan next week and Anders has asked for
each Board member to present implementation issues as well as any strategic considerations. In
terms of the former, Roberto wants us to look at how we would set up the project as a separate
business unit to “ring fence” it and for it to have a separate budget and performance targets for
the team involved. I’m not convinced it needs a separate budget but Roberto seems to think it
does.
It currently looks like the project would be headed up by Gill Matthews, a marketing manager
reporting to Melanie Zhang.
Roberto has asked me for some ideas and I would appreciate your advice on some matters:

• Can you remind me why we prepare budgets and how this applies to the project?
• Next, should we set the project up as a cost centre or profit centre or…? Please explain your
reasons.

• Can you remind me of the principles of what we need to consider when setting targets for the
team - how hard they should be, who should be involved in setting them and what factors
should be incorporated?
• Finally, I am not totally sure how we might measure “success” for the project - can you give
me some thoughts here as well.
I’ve got a meeting with Roberto later today so a swift response would be appreciated

Gwen

TASK

Prepare an email addressing Gwen’s points.
(Time allocation: 40 minutes)

28 KAPLAN PUBLISHING