1.0 Introduction
The purpose of this report is to identify key issues of strategic management that have influenced the achievement and failures in Virgin Group. The case study will be focusing on three topics: Organisational culture, Leadership, Entrepreneur and Innovation.
2.0 Case study background
According to Virgin (2014) Virgin is one of the world’s most recognised and respected brands. It is leading international investment group conceived in 1970 by Sir Richard Branson. Virgin is a broadened gathering of more than 200 privately held companies. According to Fundinguniverse (no date) the biggest of these companies are Virgin Atlantic Airways, which is number two airline in the United Kingdom; Virgin Holidays, a holiday operator;
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1987 The Virgin Airship and Balloon Company (later to become Virgin Balloon Flights) takes off. It becomes quite hard to keep Richard’s feet on the ground.
1988 Virgin Megastores opens new stores in Glasgow and Paris.
Virgin Hotel (later to become Virgin Limited Edition) launches an exclusive hotel range with the purchase of properties in Edinburgh, North Yorkshire and Hampshire. Virgin Atlantic files from Gatwick to New York JFK for the first time
1989 Tokyo-bound
Virgin Atlantic launches its route to Tokyo.
1990 Japan’s first Megastore.
1991 Richards buys The Roof Gardens.
1992 Virgin Records is sold to EMI.
1993 Our first national radio station hits the airwaves.
1994 We decide to start the cola wars.
1995 Virgin hits the big screen.
1996 Richards gets in to bridal wear (really).
1997 We slap on a little make-up.
1998 Trip to the Caribbean anyone?
1999 We decide to get fit.
2000 It’s all about cars, money and wine.
2001 Our tilting trains take to the tracks.
2002 We show our knickers.
2003 Upper Class Suite with fully flat beds? Oh go on then.
2004 First we reach Sydney, then we reach for space.
2005 Richards rocks the Kasbah.
2006 Virgin Mobile goes global.
2007 Virgin Media becomes the UK’s first quad play company.
2008 VMS Eve in unveiled.
2009 We celebrate 25 years of red hot service with Virgin Atlantic.
2010 We run London Marathon and take the first test flight in our spaceship.
2011 High drama on Necker Island.
2012 Virgin Money hits the high
Virgin Group operates from its headquarters at The School House, 50 Brook Green in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.Richard branson retains complete owner ship and control of virgin brand.
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Richard Branson is genuine and honest about his values and beliefs. Throughout his career as an entrepreneur, he has been able to anticipate the future trends, inspire followers to understand and embrace a new vision of possibilities. Virgin group rewards their employees with more intangible dividends like comfort, independence and healthy salaries. The staffs have the rights to renegotiate the pay scale offered to them but however for the past 10 years no one has chosen to do so. (Tannenbaum 1985) This proved that Richard Branson authentic leadership has captured his employee’s loyalty towards the company.
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The purpose of this report was to provide a strategic evaluation of the company Virgin Australia. The report begins by conducting a strategic analysis of Virgin, including an analysis of the external environment and an internal analysis of competitive strengths and weaknesses. The report then identifies the strategic direction and objectives of Virgin Australia, including the vision, mission, strategic objectives and stakeholders of the company. The report moves on to explore strategic choices of Virgin Australia by identifying the key broad business level and
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In 1992 Richard sold Virgin Music to Thorn EMI and invested the proceeds into Virgin Atlantic, improving on an already great service. In the same year we launched the first super economy service that went on to become our award winning Premium Economy. We spent most of the Nineties buying new planes, expanding our route network and generally breaking new ground in passenger service, both on the ground and in the air. In 1999 Richard sold a 49% stake in the company to Singapore Airlines valuing us at a minimum of £1.225bn. In the same year, for services to entrepreneurship Richard received a knighthood
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Globalization changes have impacted Burger King in the following ways; since the company began in 1953 with its first restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida and opened several locations across the United States, the company began its international expansion in 1969 with its first international franchise location in Canada, followed by Australia in 1971, and Europe in 1975. The setting up of franchises outside the United States was as a result of fast food opportunities arising outside the United States. So as to fully integrate in the international market, Burger King had to adopt and embrace
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Considering about the strategy of the Virgin group, their founder has mainly pointed out that the key to success as to being up to date with the things going on with the environment. When considering about analyzing an organization, one of the main concepts is that the corporate rational. This means that the way in which corporate parent will add value for its strategic business units.
3) Does the Virgin Group, as a corporate parent, add value to its businesses? If so how?