Analyzing Mark Benioff's Global Leadership at Salesforce

This report provides a biographical analysis of Mark Benioff, the CEO of Salesforce, focusing on his global leadership style and its impact on the company. It examines Benioff's early life, career at Oracle, and the founding of Salesforce, highlighting his contributions to the cloud computing and customer relationship management industries. The report details his business strategies, including acquisitions and his focus on innovation, and explores his working style, emphasizing the importance of examination, education, and experience in global leadership. It also discusses the human resource practices employed by Benioff, such as adopting local talent, providing effective training, and promoting personal and professional development. The report concludes by emphasizing the significance of leadership in enhancing business activities and performance, and how Benioff balances global and local approaches, as well as his decision-making approach to effectively manage his company.

Mark Benioff
The Global mind-set (Biographical research project)

Table of Contents
Introduction.........................................................................................................................................3
Mark Benioff as a global leader..........................................................................................................3
His early life and early experience......................................................................................................3
Marc R. Benioff contribution in global business...............................................................................4
Marc R. Benioff contribution in the society:.....................................................................................4
Contribution to the Salesforce............................................................................................................5
Marc R. Benioff working style............................................................................................................6
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................8
References.............................................................................................................................................9

Introduction
It is significant for a multinational corporation to sustain their business in the long
term which need an effective leadership. Because, they help in providing long term vision to
the company and future direction. Therefore, every business organization is tries to develop
leadership through variety of approaches and experience (Wilson and et. al., 2011). This is
report is based on Salesforce which is software solution for customer service and leading by
the CEO Mark Benioff. This report will explain about global CEO and its demonstration in
global mind-set, their balance a local/global approach in their business operation etc. so that
the firm can meet its target.
Mark Benioff as a global leader
Marc R. Benioff on of the global leader and present CEO of Salesforce which is one
of the leading corporation in cloud computing and customer service provider. Before
launching Salesforce, he worked in Oracle corporation as a vice president in between 1986-
1999. He started their business in software develop from a small and rental apartment and
today, her corporation revenue in billions of dollars (Ballie, 2012). He is an excellent n
developing new business strategies and innovation which help him to develop global leader.
In the year 2016, Fortune awarded him in top 50 world greatest leader which attract large
number of young people to start their own business. Before promoted as vice president in
Oracle corporation he services advisory role in various position such as product development,
customer service, sales and marketing etc. As per the latest data cited firm generate more $10
billion revenue which is highest in the cloud computing and marketing computing. These all
personal and professional achievements of Marc R. Benioff. Today, he held the CEO position
in the company and developing new strategies for their business and its future development
(Unruh, 2015). He also focusing on expanding their business in to other emerging market in
to Information technology such as India and China.
His early life and early experience
Marc R. Benioff was born in San Francisco which is located in California. He has
completed her education form University of South California. He graduated from Burlingame
High School which is famous school in San Francisco. In high school, develop his on
application which was sold $75 for the Liberty Software at age of 15. He has created various
games and sold to other business corporation. He started top get large amount of royalties
which help him to manage their collage fee and other personal expenses. He has stared their

internship from Apple computer as programmer and during this time inspired from Steve
Jobs. Marc Benioff wants to continue as computer programmer after his education. But, has
joined another field in the area of customer service and product developer in the Oracle
corporation (Zamani-Gallaher, Leon, Lang, 2016). Within three year of the company
promoted as a vice president in the firm at the age of 23 which young and working continue
for 13 years in same corporation. In the year of 2016 awarded Fortune readers award and
Economist Innovation award for their excellent performance and achievement. He is also
working in the social work and launch a concept of 1-1-1 model. Today this approach has
been adopted by approx. 800 companies across the world.
Marc R. Benioff contribution in global business
Sales force is American cloud computing company which is situated in San Francisco. This
organisation is found by Marc Benioff and provide financial assistance and focuses on
customer relationship management. Cited organisation is focuses on the acquisition with
other small companies such as acquired hey wire, a mobile messaging platform which helps
to bring integrated mobile massaging capabilities. Other organisations such as consulting
companies, beyond core which is advanced in analytical capabilities, quip which is provide
processing tools, data centre management software companies and prediction IO which is
provide machine learning capability. Sales force is conduct their operations in large number
of locations such as Belgium, France, Finland, Germany, Italy and Ireland. Large part of
revenue of cited company is come from customer relationship management products and
capital is provided by the applications of social networking through acquisition. It is the
biggest American cloud computing company with market share approx. 61 billion. Its share is
listed in the New York stock exchange market. Marc Benioff also successful as a leader in
the cited enterprise to provide directions so that they can achieve their goals and objectives.
For increasing the business cited organisation is focuses on acquisition of small companies
which helps to boost up its marketing and service clouds. Approx. 4 billion investments are
come from acquisitions. So basically cited company is provided to customer portal so that
they can track own cases and it also including social networking.
Marc R. Benioff contribution in the society:
Toady each and every business organization is focusing on contribution in the developing
community through providing various facilities and assistance in an appropriate manner. In
the context of Marc Benioff who is the Chief Executive Officer in the Salesforce one of the

most valuable cloud computing firm. The cited enterprise is providing a large number of
employment which is approx. 25000 in USA (Lilley, Barker and Harris, 2014). He is more
focusing on providing quality of service to the public which helps to create an ideal image in
the market. He introduced a new approach which is known as 1-1-1 approach the company
contribute 1 percent of total sales, 1 percent from employees and contribute to the society.
After sometimes, this tool has been used by more than 850 small and large companies in
order to provide sustainable devilment of their business in an appropriate manner.
Contribution to the Salesforce
Marc Benioff is played a vital role in the developing strategies and revolutionizing
overall business strategy and corporate culture. According to the given data, Salesforce
becoming one of the growing cloud computing corporation under his leadership (Knibbe,
2011). They adopted various innovative steps to track on the company and provide a long
term vision for the near future. Today, cite firm having more than $16 billion market
capitalization is to attractive as a growing business specially in the Information technology.
The company is focused on the developing new concept of customer relationship
management through their research and development. Today, cited increase their product
range in the industry in variety of fields marketing, sales, customer service, commerce and
different computer application which provide innovation and cost effective business solution
to the clients (Suresh, 2013). Under the leadership of Marc Benioff, he added more customer
such as small business, start-ups, non-profit organization and so on. Their focus sales and
revenue of the company which $2 billion in 2012 to 10 billion in 2016 which is quite higher
of the company. It will also be growing in the next few years in an appropriate manner.

Figure 1Annual Salesforce Revenue
Marc R. Benioff working style
Today, business is transform in to new level where al barriers such as legal, cultural etc. are
eliminating and develop an interrelated common market. this is required a global leadership
which use their skills and understand about the culture through following dimension
(Denskus, 2012). These are:
Examination: It is first stage which helps to develop leadership skills such as decision
making, problem solving, cultural knowledge and so on. They need the information of latest
trends and upgrade their skills through using of variety of tools and techniques.
Education: This stage is related with the acquiring skills of globalization, culture, leadership
styles etc. The leader of cited firm enhanced their knowledge and information about the
cultural belief and customs so that they can share these information across the world (homas,
2012).
Experience: It is related with learning over a period of time which helps to improve their
application of approach and tools which provide long term success for the company.
There are large number of decision made by the global leader et each and every level of a
business organization strategic, tactical and operational level. For a SME which having small
scale of operation required appropriate decision making on the other hand a multi nation
corporation decision making riskier and complicated (KAźMIERSKA, Piotrowski and

Waniek, 2011). Therefore, this required a verity of information to make their decision in an
effective manner. There are following approach can be used by the global leader:
Command: This is one of the oldest approach of decision making where global leaders having
full control over decision making. They need to quickly make their decisions in an effective
manner. Salesforce can be used this approach in the crises where performance is going down.
Collaborative: Sometimes decision required more information and suggestion for effective
decision making. In this techniques leader are communicate with their subordinates and
conduct feedback (THE RELATION BETWEEN HOFSTEDE’S CULTURAL
DIMENSIONS AND THE HPO FRAMEWORK. 2017.). In the given case, Salesforce CEO
required to provide opportunity to their division manager participate in the decision making
process.
Consensus: This approach is related with the democratic style of leadership where a manager
make consensus among other staff and make their decision accordingly. In modern business
scenario, there are large number of manager who expertise in a particular area such as
Marketing, HR, Finance, IT etc. (Suresh, 2013). With the using of this technique a leader can
make decision in a more appropriate way and satisfactory for each and every manager.
Convenience: There are various manager who having their own roles and responsibilities. It
will easy for a manager to delegate decision among their subordinates according to their
expertise. For example, in the context of Salesforce, they increase participation level which
enhanced their decision making and building leadership skills.
All these above discussed approach has been used by Marc Benioff in their business
organization. The main purpose of such strategy is to provide long term success of their
company through effective leadership.
HR process used by Marc Benioff
There are various aspects in the international HRM is to recruit highly skilled workforce, to
retain in the long run and relocate according to their requirement. There is various strategy
can be used by the global leader (Knibbe, 2011). These are:
Adopting local talent: This is one of the most appropriate strategy where a global leader
required to recruit local individual in their organization. The main reason for this approach is

to awareness of cultural aspects. It will help to provide long term success and transform ion
the valuable asset for a company.
Provide effective training: Training and development plays a prominent role in the success
for each and every business organization (Lilley,Barker and Harris, 2014). This is
responsibility of global leaders is to provide effective and appropriate training on regular
basis which helps to enhanced their skills and knowledge.
Personal and professional development: A employees focused on his\her carrier development.
Salesforce, required that to use develop personal and professional development program
which helps to meet its short and long term target. This kind of approach increase employee’s
retention, reduction turnover which is too essential for a business organization.
Conclusion
As per this report it can be concludes that leader play very important role for enhance
the business activities and performance. According to this report leader balance between
global and local approach is described in this report. For effective decision making it is
important to follow decision making approach is also including in this file. Human resource
procedure is also used by leader because they appoint many team member according to their
skills and competencies.

References
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Unruh, L. (2015). Dialogical Curating: Towards Aboriginal Self‐Representation in Museums.
Curator: The Museum Journal. 58(1). 77-89.
Zamani-Gallaher, E. M., Leon, R. A., & Lang, J. (2016). Study abroad as self-authorship:
Globalization and reconceptualizing college and career readiness. In International
education at community colleges. pp. 111-125. Palgrave Macmillan US.
Lilley, K., Barker, M., & Harris, N. (2014). Educating global citizens in business schools.
Journal of International Education in Business. 7(1). 72-84.
Knibbe, K. (2011). Nigerian missionaries in Europe: History repeating itself or a meeting of
modernities?. Journal of Religion in Europe. 4(3). 471-487.
Suresh, A. (2013). Knowledge management adoption, practice and innovation in the Indian
organizational set up: An empirical study. Journal of Information Technology and
Economic Development. 4(2). 31.
Denskus, T. (2012). Challenging the international peacebuilding evaluation discourse with
qualitative methodologies. Evaluation and Program Planning. 35(1). 148-153.
Thomas, S. (2012). Narrative inquiry: Embracing the possibilities. Qualitative Research
Journal. 12(2). 206-221.
KAźMIERSKA, K., Piotrowski, A., & Waniek, K. (2011). BIOGRAPHICAL
CONSEQUENCES OF WORKING ABROAD IN THE CONTEXT OF
EUROPEAN MENTAL SPACE CONSTRUCTION. Przeglad Socjologiczny. 60(1).
Online

THE RELATION BETWEEN HOFSTEDE’S CULTURAL DIMENSIONS AND THE HPO
FRAMEWORK. 2017. [Online]. Available through. https://www.hpocenter.com/scientific-
studie/the-relation-between-hofstedes-cultural-dimensions-and-the-hpo-framework/>.
[Accessed on 6th September 2017].