Virgin Atlantic group is situated in London and is managed and owned by Sir Richard Branson. Sir Branson owns majority of shares that is 51% of the total shares of the company and Singapore Airlines (Virginatlantic.com, 2018) own other 49% of the shares. This airline company headquarter is based in West Sussex and Crawley in England. Their huge stakes in their airlines are now boosting Virgin Atlantic highest business profile. The company has an international undertaking exceeding beyond more than thirty destinations. Moreover, the organization has expanded its business in various other industries. This includes financial services, railways and from cosmetics to soft drinks.
Virgin was initially founded in the early 1970’s as a business of mail order recording company and later went on becoming a retailing private and music publishing company. Back in 1980, the founder of Virgin Atlantic Sir Branson was better known for his Virgin Records, a legendary label, which signed famous bands like rolling stones. During 1980’s virgin expanded into Virgin Atlantic Airways in 1983. Virgin Atlantic paramount goal is to ensure that clients are offered quality level of services by availing different classes of travel. Gradually Virgin Atlantic opened up their business operation in places including Boston, Miami, Tokyo, Orlando and Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic also struggled for obtaining authorization at Heathrow airport. After obtaining the license the fleet expansion of the airlines was boosted. The airlines company offers major three products: upper class, economy and premium economy. One of the most significant USP associated with Virgin Atlantic is their effective customer services. Employees associated with the organization are very much professional endowed with management skill and competency. They do not discriminate the service users as per their cultural and linguistic backgrounds and attitudes. Both premium and average cost of customers are the target audience. On one hand, the economy cabin of Virgin Atlantic provides superior quality of services with delicious food and in-flight entertainment. The services of upper class are a luxurious experience with business class price tag (virginatlantic.com, 2018). The service providers associated with these operations are highly skillful and competent in dealing with business class people and fulfill their needs and desires.
The overarching term organizational practice is the action of focusing special organizational cultures, believes and value. The report focuses on the organizational culture practices that are followed by the Virgin Atlantic. Virgin Atlantic is managing corporate responsibility within the organization by practicing sustainability development. Initially, the organization started with a small team and only one 747 that would fly at just one route. Now Virgin Atlantic has expanded its global network and is employing thousands of deserving people all over the world. Furthermore, the significance of cultural consciousness to the organization is important in recent times to achieve maximum growth (Martinez et al., 2015). The organization practices corporate social responsibility and encourage their employees to be involved whenever possible. The employees are inspired to donate pennies from their monthly salary to the company’s charity campaigns. The staffs are motivated to take part in fantastic adventures by the company (Hou et al., 2016). This also helps in improving the living conditions of the people in the places they fly. Virgin Atlantic has improved the brand their brand value through efficient management strategy. This airline industry aims in improving their organizational performance in terms of profitability and growth. This approach aims in improving the working condition, which benefits the employees but also the firm (Hogan & Coote, 2014).
As the CSR responsibilities are strong within the workplace of Virgin Atlantic, the business leaders associated with this organization tends to follow participative form of leadership style at the workplace. In participative leadership framework, the business leaders never intend to impose their own decision on the employees. The employees are very much liberal to share their own point of view regarding the success of business. In this kind of situation, both the employees and the employers get the scope of maintaining effective rapport at the workplace, which ultimately reflects on the satisfaction level of the employees. Virgin Atlantic is UK’s second largest long haul airlines resent in UK. It is also the third largest European carrier present all over the Atlantic. To encourage loyalty within the organizational employees, Virgin Atlantic also facilitates flying club membership, where the present members is provided free miles that can also get exchanged for rewards like free flights and many more.
Virgin Atlantic advertises via travel agents and offers trade incentives to its people besides organizing educational or social events and trips. They have won several awards for its claim and services by setting new standards of services and pioneering range of innovation. The sustainability practice followed by the organization is meeting the need of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs (Hartnell et al., 2016). The airline sustainability team is trying very hard in reducing the carbon emission of the company.
On the other hand, in order to maintain organizational culture and behavior the business experts intend to use hofstede’s cultural dimension. The business experts believe that employees need to get motivated in performing well towards the services. This particular framework is constituted with several, which among which four stages are the most prominent. Power distance index, Individualism vs. Collectivism, Masculinity Versus Femininity and Uncertainty Avoidance are the four major steps, which are related to different dimensions of cultures.
Power distance index implies the fact that employee’s organization may have to face power clash while delivering services between senior and junior stakeholders. Virgin Atlantic in order to maintain parity on the responsibility of employees has segregated the teams by amalgamating senior and junior members (Bortolotti, Boscari & Danese, 2015) As a result, the team members have to show an intense collaboration with each other in order to achieve the goal. As per management policy followed by Virgin Atlantic, the business experts are focused on promoting employees as per their performances rather than focusing on the power of individuals.
Masculinity vs. femininity is highly related with the organizational culture, which evaluates whether male or female employees get the first priority within organization. It is however believed as per Virgin Atlantic’s organizational value that both male and female employees should get equal respect and dignity. The employees are recruited as per their skills and competency level rather than focusing on their gender biasness.
As per the management policy of Virgin Atlantic, individual work gets least priority rather than group work. In order to achieve long-term business goals, the business experts have to focus on teamwork (Chang & Lin, 2015). With the help of participative form of work the individual members have to face show their collaboration with team members so that they can achieve the long-term business goals and objectives.
Uncertainty Avoidance
In order to avoid uncertainties and risk factors the business experts associated with Virgin Atlantic implements alternative options and business opportunities (Fernando & Lawrence, 2014). Alternative business strategy and management policy is very much helpful in avoiding sudden risk factors arising at the workplace.
In the current scenario, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a prominent business ideology practiced in organization. It heightens the expectations of organization regarding environmental and social standards (Valmohammadi & Roshanzamir, 2015). This approach helps in building awareness about the organizational culture that further is refining their plans and strategies. CSR practices measures the organizational culture and evaluating the results at deeper level (O’Reilly III et al., 2014). It is a responsible corporate practice, which provides management efficiency. There are three dimensions of CSR includes economic, social and environmental practices that is described as follows:
This consists of better understandings of the economic impacts affecting the business operations. This generally involves the effect on the organizational stakeholders. Efficient economic performance develops the long-term operations and invests in well-being and development of the employees (Belias & Koustelios, 2014). It helps in maintaining support and trust of the local communities, where the business operates.
This includes the social effect that a company has on its people, the customers and the supply chain of the company. The responsibility of CSR is towards the customers, employees and the community. A direct positive effect on the company’s profit is gained due to efficient responsibility of CSR towards its customers (Usman & Amran, 2015). These responsibilities include the durability and safety of services and products. This also includes providing full and unambiguous and complete information to their shareholders. The company involves practicing diversity and equality in the workforce (Zhu & Zhang, 2015). A socially responsible company provides equal opportunities to all its employees irrespective of age, gender and race. The major responsibility of CSR towards the community involves vocational training and sponsoring local and cultural events (Ax, C & Greve, 2017). This also includes recruiting socially excluded individuals, donation to charitable organizations and partnership with communities.
Sustainable development and environmental concern is the key element required for corporate social responsibility. The environmental impacts affecting the organization includes overuse of natural and non-renewable energy resource are measured (Brettel, Chomik & Flatten, 2015). By using less streamling and material process creates fewer amounts of wastes that lower the operational costs significantly. Establishment of compliance assistance programs further helps to efficiently understand the requirements needed for environmental requirement of the business (Lee & Kim, 2014).
Sustainability means being efficient and a responsible business (Huhtala et al., 2015). It helps to boost the employee engagement within the organization due to good public image as well as positive media coverage. The productivity and efficiency rate of the firm increases, if the employees are happy. When the organization improves it corporate communities through volunteer grants, gifts and rewards, it helps in retaining and attracting the most valuable and engaged employees (Pilch & Turska, 2015). Productive and positive work environment is created within the organization by instilling the culture of corporate social responsibility. The employees feel more productive and engaged to work in positive better environment (Tong et al., 2015).
The company incorporates philanthropic programs; this helps the employees to be more creative and productive for the organization and fosters innovation. Moreover, the corporate and social responsibility practiced by the firm helps in attracting and retaining the potential investors of the firm (Fernando & Lawrence, 2014). Investors are attracted to the organization practicing CSR activities as it demonstrates the level of commitment of the firm for the society besides the employee and customers. When the business organization donate money to the nonprofit encourages it employees for volunteering, it displays that the company does not care for their profits (Denison, Nieminen & Kotrba, 2014).
In order to maintain proper organizational culture, values, ethics and behavior the business experts have to follow appropriate organizational practices, which can be beneficial for both the organization and the stakeholders. In this very specific study, Virgin Atlantic has chosen two types of organizational practices and theoretical frameworks within their operations. As an internal business strategy, the organization has implemented Hofstede’s cultural dimension at the workplace (Stokes, Baker & Lichy, 2016). This particular theory enables the business experts of Virgin Atlantic in showing emotional intelligence towards the employees. The employees can get medical facilities from the organization while facing any kind of health issue at the workplace (Story & Neves, 2015). In addition, the business experts are very much sympathetic towards the internal stakeholders. In case of facing any kind of linguistic challenges or psychological barriers, the business experts are very much sympathetic and co-operative towards the employees.
In order to maintain proper organizational discipline the business experts have to be strategic by motivating the employees properly (Valmohammadi & Roshanzamir, 2015). The organization has received reward and recognition policy as well with the help of which employees can be motivated in performing well towards the services. Health and safety act ensures the employees in providing monitory benefits while facing any kind of health issue at the workplace. Psychological needs include air, water, food, clothing and shelter. This kind of effective organizational culture can motivate the employees immensely which reflects on the performance level towards reaching the business goal (Wang & Rafiq, 2014). Therefore, the business experts of an organization have to give proper affectionate attitude towards the existing employees. As a result, employees feel motivated in performing well for reaching the business goals. It can also be stated that the business experts have to show their liberal attitude towards the employees. As a result, employees while performing do not tend to show their negative attitude in providing their best services. Internal esteem implies the fact how much respect and dignity the business experts tend to provide towards the employees.
In order to maintain goodwill of the organization and gain effective external organizational practices the business experts of Virgin Atlantic has implemented CSR activities within their services. The ways on how the business experts of virgin Atlantic maintain their CSR activities include:
Several rules and regulation has been imposed by the organization to prevent the long haul airlines to recycle any such wastes that is connected with meat or dairy products. Virgin Atlantic mostly focuses on all such aspects where changes can be made like providing high value recyclables. During the year 2016, over millions of amenity kits were recycled and around 55% new transformed and reassembled into new amenity kits (Virginatlantic.com, 2018). The sponges distracted from headsets would be sooner used to surface equestrian centre, where disused plastics on used on board are reassembled into benches. For reducing the cabin wastes recyclable products like plastic cups, newspapers, cans are used that is further recycled. The recyclable wastes are then sent to ‘energy from waste’ facilities to generate energy. Moreover, the recyclable things are provided to the customers to reduce wastes this includes cleaners, amenity kits, blankets and batteries.
Virgin Atlantic uses more innovative and efficient products design that reduced the overall amount of cabin wastes to 453 tones that is overall reduction by 43% recently (Vaflightstore.com, 2018). The company invests in more reusable other than using disposable products.
Virgin Atlantic aims in designing all such products that minimizes the damage to the environment besides creating a favorable impact on the society. The suppliers of the organization are initially requested to sign the company’s comprehensive Responsible Supplier Policy that covers all the issues related to animal, people and environment. They are also Sedex members to promote favorable labor practices in the company’s supply chain (Virginatlantic.com, 2018). In the year 2013, the company was the first airline to partner with SRA for improving their sustainability standards for 12 million meals to be served onboard each year that has made greater profits over the years.
Therefore, it can be evaluated that both Maslow motivational framework and CSR activities are effective enough in maintaining proper organizational work culture at the workplace.
Based on the discussed frameworks and theoretical approaches on organizational practices, the study has provided detailed recommendations, which are as follows:
Conclusion:
The study has provided detailed overview about the organizational practices that the business experts follow in order to run their entire process of business effectively. Virgin was initially founded in the early 1970’s as a business of mail order recording company and later went on becoming a retailing private and music publishing company. One of the most significant USP associated with Virgin Atlantic is their effective customer services. Employees associated with the organization are very much professional endowed with management skill and competency. The service providers associated with these operations are highly skillful and competent in dealing with business class people and fulfill their needs and desires. In participative leadership framework, the business leaders never intend to impose their own decision on the employees. The employees are very much liberal to share their own point of view regarding the success of business.
The business experts believe that employees need to get motivated in performing well towards the services. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory is constituted with five major types that include self-actualization, esteem needs, belongings, safety and psychological. Psychological needs include air, water, food, clothing and shelter. This kind of effective organizational culture can motivate the employees immensely which reflects on the performance level towards reaching the business goal. In order to maintain proper organizational culture, values, ethics and behavior the business experts have to follow appropriate organizational practices, which can be beneficial for both the organization and the stakeholders. In this very specific study, Virgin Atlantic has chosen two types of organizational practices and theoretical frameworks within their operations.
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