Case Study the Virgin Group
THE VIRGIN GROUP
PROBLEM: * The Virgin Group is so unrelated diversified that it has been criticized by some commentators because it has become an "endorsement brand that could not always offer real expertise to the businesses which it is associated". So the real question is "Can The Virgin Group be good/successful in every business it gets into?" "Are they really adding a real value to each business/customer? * What will happen if a customer has a bad experience with any of the product lines of the Virgin Brand? Would that influence this customer to never try again another line of this brand? Some commentators have found a big risk with Virgin's approach stating that: "The greatest threat is that Virgin Brand may become associated with failure". Can that be possible? * Richard Branson's is associated with the Virgin Brand, this sure has been the key to the success of this company, but can also his image fire back toward the Virgin brand if he gains a bad reputation? What can be the consequences?
FACTS:
Organizational: * The Virgin Group is one of the UK's largest private companies. (S) * The Virgin Group included in 2006, 63 businesses such as airlines, health clubs, music stores and trains. Also included Virgin Galactic which promises to take passengers into the sub-orbital space. (S) * The personal image and personality of Richard Branson, the founder of the Group is highly bound up with those of the company. (S ,W) * Branson announced in 2006 his plans to invest $3bn in renewable energy. (S) * Virgin's partnership with cable company NTL, undertook an expansion into media challenging publicy the way NewsCorp operated in the UK and the effects on British democracy. (S ,W) * Virgin was founded in 1970 as a mail order record business and developed as a private company in music publishing and retailing. (S) * In 1986, Virgin was floated on the stock exchange with a turnover of 362.5 million (Euros). (S)
PROBLEM: * The Virgin Group is so unrelated diversified that it has been criticized by some commentators because it has become an "endorsement brand that could not always offer real expertise to the businesses which it is associated". So the real question is "Can The Virgin Group be good/successful in every business it gets into?" "Are they really adding a real value to each business/customer? * What will happen if a customer has a bad experience with any of the product lines of the Virgin Brand? Would that influence this customer to never try again another line of this brand? Some commentators have found a big risk with Virgin's approach stating that: "The greatest threat is that Virgin Brand may become associated with failure". Can that be possible? * Richard Branson's is associated with the Virgin Brand, this sure has been the key to the success of this company, but can also his image fire back toward the Virgin brand if he gains a bad reputation? What can be the consequences?
FACTS:
Organizational: * The Virgin Group is one of the UK's largest private companies. (S) * The Virgin Group included in 2006, 63 businesses such as airlines, health clubs, music stores and trains. Also included Virgin Galactic which promises to take passengers into the sub-orbital space. (S) * The personal image and personality of Richard Branson, the founder of the Group is highly bound up with those of the company. (S ,W) * Branson announced in 2006 his plans to invest $3bn in renewable energy. (S) * Virgin's partnership with cable company NTL, undertook an expansion into media challenging publicy the way NewsCorp operated in the UK and the effects on British democracy. (S ,W) * Virgin was founded in 1970 as a mail order record business and developed as a private company in music publishing and retailing. (S) * In 1986, Virgin was floated on the stock exchange with a turnover of 362.5 million (Euros). (S)