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MCG812S - Management Consulting - 2nd Opp - Nov 2022 |
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nAmlBIA UnlVERSITY
OF SCIEnCE Ano TECHnOLOGY
FACULTYOF COMMERCEH, UMANSCIENCEAS ND EDUCATION
DEPARTMENTOF MANAGEMENT
QUALIFICATION: BACHELOR OF MANAGEMENT HONOURS
QUALIFICATION CODE: 07BBMA
LEVEL: 8
COURSE CODE: MCG821S
COURSE NAME: MANAGEMENT CONSULTING
SESSION: NOVEMBER 2022
DURATION: 3 HOURS
PAPER:1
MARKS: 100
EXAMINER(S)
MODERATOR:
SECOND OPPORTUNITY EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPER
Ms O.N Kangandjo
Dr C van Zyl
Ms A.J.E Tjiueza
THIS QUESTION PAPERCONSISTSOF 3 PAGES(Including this front page}
INSTRUCTIONS
1.
Answer all questions.
2.
Read all the questions carefully before answering.
3.
Marks for each question are indicated at the end of each question.
4.
Please ensure that your writing is legible, neat and presentable and start each Section on a
new page.
PERMISSIBLEMATERIALS
1. Examination question paper
2. Examination answer sheet
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lsECTION~
Question 1
[100 Marks]
Read the case below and answer the questions thereafter.
Waterton Performing Arts Festival
The Warterton Performing Arts Festival (WPAF) is a long and well-established charity that has been in
operation for over SOyears. Culminating annually in a series of stage-based performances (including
drama, speech, singing, and dance), it offers individuals and groups the opportunity to participate in
a competition and be professionally assessedby world-class judges. The charity is one of a large group
of such festivals based in the UK and Europe and is struggling to keep its head above water. Annually
it has some 2,500 entries, distributed among some very different sections ranging from the very
traditional - such as hymn singing - to the more contemporary creative dance.
The last seven years have been difficult for the Festival. It is continually running at a loss and is only
able to continue with the financial support of a few individuals who have an emotional and historical
attachment to WPAF.
One of WPAF's more enlightened officers, Lucy, has taken the decision to use some of the monies
donated to the Festival to seek some help in putting the Festival back on a better footing. In particular,
she wants the organization to be more in-line with the requirements of younger people, and open to
new developments, for example. She knows that the prime benefactor will not continue to donate as
he has done in the past without some major improvements.
She calls you in and outlines the many problems facing WPAF:
a) Overtime 'sales' (comprising entry fees and admissions to the events) are slowly decreasing.
Not all sections are affected; 'dance' is quite buoyant (afloat), but the overall downward trend
is clear.
b) Attempts have been made to cut costs - such as altering the venues and reducing judging
costs (though the latter of which is fixed by the Festival's governing body). The biggest single
remaining cost, however, is stationery; the Festival has always used the same printer which
can work with the quirkiness of the section secretaries, some of whom have only a
rudimentary (basic) knowledge of the use of computers.
c) The main benefactor tends to impose his own views on the WPAF based on his own historical
perspective (he took part as a child).
d) The age profile of the key people is quite old and does not reflect the target audiences that
the Festival serves. Each of the eight sections is led by someone over 60. Despite numerous
attempts, there is no succession planning as the Festival is run by a small number of stalwarts
and no one is coming forward to help or replace them.
e) As all are volunteers, and without anyone in real authority, it is difficult to make the group
behave as a team. Each section secretary runs his or her own show and only matters of
common interest, like health and safety; require them to turn to the central group for help.
f) Apart from a recently introduced website created by a student from a local university, IT
systems are non-existent. Attempts have been made to introduce automated systems but not
enough of the participants are using the system for this to be valuable.
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g) The chairman is world-class in his field (opera singing) but he knows little or nothing of running
an organization. His idea of chairing a meeting is to ask the various secretaries to read out
prepared statements. There is no discussion and decisions are taken unilaterally causing
regular dissention (disagreements) in the group.
h) The treasurer, James, who has been in post for over 20 years, also works for five other charities
and has little time to devote to the WPAF.
i) There have been some disagreements between the sections about a range of topics, such as
contestants entering more than one class within a section. Guidelines are very informal.
j) The Festival is suffering from local and regional competition. Slowly some of the sections are
being eroded as they are seen as dated, even elitist.
Source: Wickham, L. & Wilcock, J. 2016. Management Consulting, Delivering on Effective Project, 5th Ed. Pearson: Harlow,
England
1.1 Develop a comprehensive SWOT analysis to establish what such a tool (SWOT analysis) is
revealing about the business environment within which Warterton Performing Arts Festival
(WPAF) is operating from.
(20)
1.2 The word "problem" has a negative connotation. However, to a consultant and the client
business, a "problem" may be positive. To what extent can WPAF's problems be turned into
opportunities?
(10)
1.3 Since you cannot solve everything at once, choose one problem that you consider to be of the
highest priority to WPAF and prepare a project proposal on how you might help them to
address that problem as a consultant.
(60)
1.4 Finally, you will need to deliver your findings to your client. Outline the various sections of
the final consulting report that you will submit to WPAF.
(10)
END OF EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPER
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