Strategic Planning Report: Leadership Analysis of the Virgin Group

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of strategic planning and leadership, using the Virgin Group as a case study. It begins with an executive summary highlighting the importance of leadership in addressing contemporary challenges. The report then delves into the background of the Virgin Group and its leader, Sir Richard Branson, justifying the choice of this organization for the study. It explores the meaning and importance of strategic leadership, contrasting various leadership approaches and identifying the one most relevant to the Virgin Group. Furthermore, the report critically evaluates the leader's role in strategy development, examining leadership values, ethics, and their impact on corporate social responsibility and sustainability. The analysis covers the five pillars of Virgin's business, the role of the Virgin brand, and the importance of joint ventures. The conclusion offers insights into the future direction of the company, with a focus on diversification, risk management, and the adaptation of policies to meet environmental changes. The report uses several academic sources to support its findings.

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Title: Strategic Planning
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Executive Summary
Leadership is one of the most widely studied topics and this has been generating extensive
literature. Leaders need to face social, economic and environmental challenges. However, there
is very low trust in business. It has become essential to anticipate the changes and act as
catalysts, which can make them a sustainable society. The present case study emphasizes on
leadership qualities of Sir Richard Branson and Background of the Virgin Group and the
Business Leader. An overview of the meaning of strategic leadership and importance has been
given. The main approaches to the study of leadership and the approach relevant to the Virgin
group have been studied. The role of a leader in developing strategy has been studied. A critical
review of leadership ethics and values which drives corporate social responsibility as well as
sustainability has been studied. This is followed by a conclusion.

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Contents
Introduction-Background to the Organization and the Business Leader with a Justification of
your Choice......................................................................................................................................3
Explain the Meaning of Strategic Leadership and Importance to the Selected Organization.........4
Contrast the Main Approaches to the Study of Leadership and the Approach Relevant to the
Organization....................................................................................................................................5
Critically Evaluate the Role of the Leader in Developing Strategy................................................6
Critically Review Leadership Values and Ethics in Driving Corporate Social Responsibility and
Sustainability...................................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction-Background to the Organization and the Business Leader with a
Justification of your Choice
This case study has been written with the aim of studying the corporate strategy of Virgin
Group. It identifies the association which is of strategic and tactical nature that is present within
the Virgin Company. The Virgin organization consists of assorted businesses. The Virgin
company has diversified into two hundred businesses.
Richard found the Virgin Group in the year 1970. There is a saying, ‘people reap what
they sow', therefore the corporate strategy is considered as the projection of Richard Branson
own philosophy and formed the corporate rationale. The personal philosophy as well as personal
persona was revered and respected through British Public. Richard Branson is known for having
a high profile and had already won interests of the general public. The word Richard Branson
and Virgin are interchangeable. This is one of the most significant assets of the company. Virgin
is known in the community for customers champion and has been known for doing the
marvelous works for public relations. Richard Branson has been associated with great names
such as Einstein and has also been known for the shaper of twentieth century. The business
leader has been known for the obligations in public listings and corporate bureaucracy has been
taken in private ownership.
Leadership is considered as timeless procedure of guiding people in pursuit of desired
outcome, destination or goal. At the fundamental level, leader will be someone who will
motivate, and guide towards established goals.
Corporate bureaucracy has its own significance in Virgin Group and there is no
management hierarchy when it comes to promotion and marketing aspects.

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Explain the Meaning of Strategic Leadership and Importance to the Selected
Organization.
The business of Virgin Company has been strategically directed as five pillars within
entire empire system which was created through Richard Branson. The core strategy of
developing the 5 pillars of the Virgin group includes mobile phones, leisure, entertainment and
travel. Strategic leadership aims at status quo. The challenge is to anticipate answers in its own
business and encouraging the divergent points of selection (Lawrence, 2015). Richard Branson
was involved with careful examination and reflection of problems and taking the decisive action.
This requires courage and patience. All the undertakings have inherited the name of the Virgin
Company. This is an exceptional and promoted and well marketed trusted name. The brand has
been considered as the single essential asset of the company (Kilkelly, 2014). Virgin company
has been sending out the messages to consumer and this involves daring and innovation. This
also reflects the transferring of promotional endeavors and marketing activities that present the
specific venture respectively. The name Virgin has been used as synonymously with Richard
Branson name. The business leader has been involved with devising the key psychological
strategy and has been playing the collaborating role into chief matters of promotion and
marketing. Examples of the Virgin group and brand name can be inference through different
joint ventures which have been established. All businesses that exist within Virgin group have
been cited in the corporate rationale for gaining long term revenues. This has been used as an
autonomous business and effective strategic decision making (Denton, 2013).

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Contrast the Main Approaches to the Study of Leadership and the Approach
Relevant to the Organization.
Effective leadership involves a leader's skills and qualities which can interact with people
and wants and requirements of leadership situation. The theory of leadership has been advanced
with a greater comprehension of expectations and requirements of people who are at work
(Roebuck, 2010). Impact of various leadership styles on the subordinates as well as attitudes and
followers competence can have an impact on leaders.
The main approaches to the study of leadership with relevance to the organization include-
1. Adding Value -The Virgin Company is considered as the business parent and provides
value to the assessment of business.
2. Understanding of institutional Markets-The Virgin supervision team has been doing
well in the identification of self-satisfaction in the market. This experience has been
coupled with strategy and provided help to a group through the competitive business
industries (Rahman, Rahman and Ahmed, 2014).
3. Virgin brand has overcome barriers to entry-The Virgin Group name has been
associated with customer champion and this has been respected as a brand associated
with British public.
4. Joint ventures limiting risk-Any company or organization or corporation which is into a
joint venture and associated with Virgin group has achieved the regulating advantages in
the market places.

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5. Management is not restricted-The flat management structure encourages innovation.
This provides tractability and also endorses shared ownership responsibility.
The senior staff members of Virgin Group comprises of individuals who have
effective careers. The company has been acquiring the like-minded people who can
match the ability of differentiation and innovation. For instance- Virgin Mobile has
formulated the associations with present telecommunications operators in retail services
(Godlewski, 2010).
Critically Evaluate the Role of the Leader in Developing Strategy
Leadership plays a chief role in enforcing the strategy. This also works as the link
associated with the institution. The leader is responsible for encouraging the followers to become
successful. This success comes through encouraging leaders and making efficient decisions for
the purpose of formulating the strategy as well as enactment. Strategies must be enacted with
great perfection (Van Eck, Jager and Leeflang, 2011). Strategies which have been formulated
below than fifty percent of enactment can cause dearth of skills. Leaders are required to give
what is termed as performance course and how to accomplish those goals. Sir Richard Branson
has been associated with the institute which has the roles for providing the vision and also taking
the recourse of strategies reflection. This involves chalking out the plan and also overseeing the
performance and functions of undertakings. The leader makes an attempt towards making its
organization congruity as required by the needs of circumstances. Leaders can disseminate the
energy boosting and this will heighten the spirit as well as the morale of employees (Vacar,
2016).

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Associations with all stakeholders ensure learning and teaching in an organization.
Leadership has been considered responsible for directing the subordinates for the performance of
organizational tasks which can work effectively. Strategic leadership is the crucial process which
will transform the organization into a successful company through proper strategies. The
responsibility of leaders requires to inspire and motivating the people and translating the vision
of the organization into reality. Leaders are required to perform tasks such as executing process
and strategy making (Krzakiewicz and Cyfert, 2012).
Critically Review Leadership Values and Ethics in Driving Corporate Social
Responsibility and Sustainability
Corporate Social responsibility has been referred to as the broad assortment of strategies
which is developed by the company and efforts for effectively dealing and creating associations
with its stakeholders and environment. Corporate social responsibility has been shifted to
community level activity which involves donation to communities. The second approach is the
societal level activities. This involves business which will not harm the society or environment.
This expansion has been led through ideological thinking and Virgin group plays a positive role
in creating a social change (Kelley and Bisel, 2014). This has also been driven through returns
on investment through corporate social responsibilities initiatives. Corporate social
responsibilities activities contribute to social legitimacy and enable the social-cultural norms of
the institutional environment. The flow has been generated through sustained resources and
support through external as well as internal stakeholders. This will help in the enhancement of
financial and social performances. There have been a lot of studies conducted on business

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aspects of corporate social responsibility. The research is being conducted over internal variables
which involve the roles of senior management and employees. The responsibility of senior
management is to understand the external events. This is driven through selective interpretation
and attention. The also includes the structure of the management system (Samnani and Singh,
2013). Based on the assumptions of specific events, the leaders view the social aspects as threats
or opportunities and develop the commitments for addressing the different issues. Senior
management needs to play a significant role and encourage corporate social responsibility
practices (Graf et al., 2011).
Conclusion
Virgin company must focus on becoming less diversified. The name is being diluted and
the company is viewed as an endorsement brand. The company needs to learn the environment
analysis as a brand name is not sufficed. The public community and masses are sensitive and in
concurrence with commercial strategies within given specified time. Virgin Company needs to
act as the communal parent and this will add workable values to business through investment and
development of real expertise. The company should focus on limiting risks in the future course
of time. On one side, the company limits risks and it has been sending contradictory signals to
customers. The Virgin Company needs to be audacious and this process of Richard Branson
value addition procedure can restrict risk? This has been the significant question that works
towards the process of eradicating. The Virgin group focuses on changing the policy for
accommodating the joint and independent ventures and relies over diminutive duration profits on
some of its commercial businesses. This is for the purpose of hovering capital and release of ring
fence strategy as the significant revenue can be captured within a due course of time. The idea

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behind adopting this strategy is to not restrict the company's employees to a philosophy. Policies
and rules must be made in such a manner, which can be strategically changed with environment
and time. Every effort must be made providing a better image of the wealth of the group.
References
Denton, A. (2013). Can business leaders build teams like Alex Ferguson?. Strategic Direction,
29(9), pp.3-5.
Godlewski, J. (2010). Seven habits of highly resilient organizations (approaches to achieving
business continuity). Strategic Direction, 26(10).
Graf, M., Schuh, S., Van Quaquebeke, N. and van Dick, R. (2011). The Relationship Between
Leaders’ Group-Oriented Values and Follower Identification with and Endorsement of Leaders:
The Moderating Role of Leaders’ Group Membership. Journal of Business Ethics, 106(3),
pp.301-311.
Kelley, K. and Bisel, R. (2014). Leaders' narrative sensemaking during LMX role negotiations:
Explaining how leaders make sense of who to trust and when. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(3),
pp.433-448.
Kilkelly, E. (2014). Creating leaders for successful change management. Strategic HR Review,
13(3), pp.127-129.
Krzakiewicz, K. and Cyfert, S. (2012). The Role of Leaders in Managing Organisation
Boundaries. Management, 16(1).

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Lawrence, T. (2015). Global Leadership Communication: A Strategic Proposal. Creighton
Journal of Interdisciplinary Leadership, 1(1), p.51.
Rahman, M., Rahman, I. and Ahmed, D. (2014). Integrated Development Strategies: Key
Components of Strategic Approaches. International Journal of Engineering Research, 3(4),
pp.274-278.
Roebuck, C. (2010). What do leaders require from HR?. Strategic HR Review, 9(4).
Samnani, A. and Singh, P. (2013). When leaders victimize: The role of charismatic leaders in
facilitating group pressures. The Leadership Quarterly, 24(1), pp.189-202.
Vacar, A. (2016). Leaders – A Determinant Role. Studies in Business and Economics, 11(2),
pp.165-173.
van Eck, P., Jager, W. and Leeflang, P. (2011). Opinion Leaders' Role in Innovation Diffusion:
A Simulation Study. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 28(2), pp.187-203.