Big Kola Company has been concerned that specialized fruit drinks have been eroding their cola
market. The CEO mandates that “If you can’t beat them, join them.” Grape juice was the first product
that was successful after an advertising blitz claiming the antitoxin benefits. Lately, competition is
compressing grape juice margins and profits. Months of additional market surveys and focus groups
have resulted in three potential high-margin drinks: cranberry, blueberry, and pomegranate. All these
choices represent antitoxins. The decision is to produce the pomegranate drink that has many health
claims. For example, the relative ability of these juices to eliminate harmful free radicals (antitoxins) is
71 percent for pomegranate, 33 percent for blueberry, and 20 percent for cranberry. The market
potential appears very attractive and should have a higher profit margin than the other potential juice
products. Another appeal for pomegranate juice is its familiarity in the Middle East and Asia.
You, the project manager, have formed your project team and the members have come up with
the following WBS (work breakdown structure). Pay attention to the “indentation” in the WBS.
1. Pomegranate Juice Project
2. R&D product development
3. Need survey
4. Set product specs
5. Shelf life report
6. Nutrition report
7. Select fruit suppliers
8. Initial Production
9. Equipment rehab
10. Production trials
11. Quality trials
12. Quality metrics
13. Quality training
14. Distribution
15. Market testing
16. Package design
17. Select distributors
18. Legal
19. Complete FDA certification
20. Register trademark
21. Prepare product launch
Questions for Part-1 (10 points):
Based on ProjectLibre schedule, answer the following questions:
Q1. When is the project estimated to be completed (date)?
Q2. How many working days will it take?
Q3. How many critical paths are there? What is (are) the critical path(s)?
Q4. Which activity has the most total slack?
Q5. How sensitive is this network?