...Virgin Mobile 1. Given Virgin Mobile’s target market (14 to 24-yeard-olds, how should it structure its pricing? The case lays out three pricing options. Which option would you choose and why? In designing your pricing plan, be as specific as possible with respect to the various elements under considerations (e.g. contracts, the size of the subsidies, hidden fees, average per-minute charges, etc.) 2. How confident are you that the plan you have designed will be profitable? Provide evidence of the financial viability of your pricing strategy. 3. the cellular industry is notorious for high customer dissatisfaction. Despite the existence of service contracts, the big carriers churn roughly 24% of their customers each year. Clearly, there is very little loyalty in this market. What is the source of all of this dissatisfaction? How have the various pricing variables (contracts, pricing buckets, hidden fees, off-peak hours, etc.) affected the consumer experience? Why haven’t the big carriers responded more aggressively to customer satisfaction? 4. How do the major carriers make money in this industry? Is there a financial logic underlying their pricing approach? 5. What do you think of virgin Mobile’s value proposition (the VirginXtras, etc.)? What do you think of its channel and merchandising strategy? 6. Do you agree with virgin Mobile’s target market selection? What are the risks associated with targeting this segment? Why have the major carriers been slow...
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...VIRGIN GROUP Resource: Exploring Corporate Strategy Introduction The Virgin Group is one of the UK's largest private companies, with an annual turnover estimated at £3bn per annum by 2000. Virgin's highest-profile business was Virgin Atlantic, which had developed to be a major force in the international airline business. However, the group spanned over 200 businesses from financial services through to railways; from entertainment mega stores and soft drinks to cosmetics and condoms. (Figure 1 shows the breadth of the group's activities.) Its name was instantly recognizable. Research showed that the Virgin name was associated with words such as 'fun', 'innovative', 'daring' and 'successful'. The personal image and personality of the founder, Richard Branson, were high profile; in British advertisements for Apple Computers, together with Einstein and Gandhi, he was featured as a 'shaper of the 20th century'. Origins and ownership Virgin was founded in 1970 as a mail order record business and developed as a private company in music publishing and retailing. In 1986 the company was floated on the stock exchange with a turnover of £250 million. However, Branson became tired of the public listing obligations. Compliance with the rules governing public limited companies and reporting to shareholders were expensive and time-consuming, and he resented making presentations in the City to people whom, he believed, did not understand the business. The pressure to create short-term profit...
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...Case Study – The Virgin Group: Structure, leadership and motivation This essay analyses organizational structuring of the Virgin Group, with a view to understanding the dynamics that have helped create a global conglomerate. A critical assessment is undertaken on three areas: the hierarchical form of the company, the style of leadership exhibited by Sir Richard Branson, and the approach adopted by management to motivate employees. Firstly, a comparative argument is made on whether the Virgin Group can be classified as a centralised or decentralised organization. These terms refer to division of power, capital, technical procedures and control in various units of a business. A centralised organization allows for minimal delegation to managers, with the chief executive retaining power over majority of the decisions. On the other end, a decentralised organization makes it possible for managers to exercise control without ownership oversight at each stage, provided goals and targets are met (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2007). Secondly, the essay aims to determine the leadership style practiced by Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Group’s chief executive officer (CEO). Two styles of leadership are used as reference point: transactional and transformational. According to Bass & Bass (2009), transactional leaders work within the organizational culture as it exists, with an awareness of the link between effort and reward. They motivate their employees by setting goals, and enforce control through...
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...Virgin Mobile USA: Pricing for the Very First Time - CASE STUDY Kiran Chimmiri Virgin is a U.K-based company led by Sir Richard Branson and is one of the three most recognized brands in Britain. Dan Schulman has been appointed CEO of the Virgin Mobile USA and is now trying to determine what pricing strategy would be most efficient in attracting and sustaining customers in the USA. There are several other decisions which also need to be made, such as unique features Virgin mobile can offer to differentiate from their competition, channels to use in order to sell their product and advertising strategy to market the product most efficiently. The company had couple of failures in the past in MVNO and so is more keen in building a robust strategy to venture into the US market. The key issue for Virgin Mobile USA is to select a pricing strategy for market penetration. There are 3 alternatives provided in regards to the key decision: Clone Industry Prices, Price below the Competition & A Whole New Plan. Analysis and Evaluation: The Company decided to target the market which is underserved i.e., in the 15 to 29 age group. For this the company analyzed the strategic issues such as a)Develop value proposition that will appeal the youth market b)Maintain customer loyalty & Life time Value c)Address the unmet needs of the target market d)Make the venture a profitable one e)Don’t want to trigger off competitive reaction The Mobile communication industry in 2001 was highly...
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...VIRGIN MOBILE CASE INTRODUCTION: Virgin is a leading branded venture capital organization. It is conceived in 1970 by Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin Group has gone on to grow very successful business in sectors ranging from mobile telephony, to transportation, travel, financial services, leisure, music, holidays, publishing and retailing. Virgin has created more than 200 branded companies worldwide, employing approximately 50,000 people, in 29 countries. TARGET MARKET: The core-competency of Virgin mobile is making a difference in the eyes of the customer in terms of value for money, Quality, Innovation, Fun, A sense of Cool-ness. It identified the age segment where the Industry penetration was the lowest, that is, between 15 years to 29 years of age. Also, by demography, it targeted income segment with a low disposable income and high aspiration for trendiness. Since the target market for Virgin mobile is youth segment, it makes sense to develop a value proposition like VirginXtras. The revenue for mobile entertainment is projected to increase in the next few years (Exhibit 3). So, by offering value added services like delivering music, video and game content of MTV, VH1, and Nickelodeon etc. Virgin can increase its sales. PRICING STRATEGIES FOR THIS SEGMENT: Option 1 – Clone the industry prices Pros: Easy to promote, No need to spend more money on salespeople, Customers are used to ‘buckets’ and peak / off – peak distinctions Cons: Highly competitive market....
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...Sir Richard Branson, Chairman, Virgin Group, Ltd. Case Study Assignment 4 Professor Leadership and Organizational Behavior February 26, 2012 Since the beginning of history humans have lived in groups guided by the group leader; in which leader is either chosen for his characteristics or born into through cast. No matter the culture this is similar through the human race. Humans need someone to guide them, teach them, someone to look up to. Without followers there is no leader. “That is, leader is a term applied by observers to someone whose behaviors and characteristics match the observers’ implicit leadership preferences” (Hellriegel, D., & Slocum, J. W., Jr. (2011). They are different type of leaders and leadership style depending on the situation and solution needed at that moment by the followers. In my opinion good leaders have shown to be flexible enough to switch between leadership styles depending on the demands of the situation. One of the worlds most intriguing, succesful and enduring entrepreneurial business leaders today is Richard Branson, someone who takes control of the situation by conveying a clear vision and goals for the team, a marked passion for the work and an ability to make the group feel recharged and energized. I consider Richard Branson to be a transformational leader, a leader with vision, confident, motivation, passion and determination. He is the founder of Virgin Group Ltd. “Born July 18, 1950, in Surrey, England, Sir...
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...Sir Richard Branson, Chairman Virgin Group, Ltd. Case Study International success for an organization requires the expansion of the company into the global market for exposure and the goal of increasing profit margins. Strong leadership skills are an essential key in the success for a global company. Judgment, positive attitude and entrepreneurial thinking, and motivational incentives are additional keys that contribute to the success of an organization. The strategic leadership ways and personality of Sir Richard Branson proved to be success in the company he led into the global market. His Virgin Galactic company had the vision to be the first company to offer passengers the opportunity to fly into space at the cost of an expensive price as the world’s first space line. In addition to offering the hopes of the first space line for customers, Branson wanted to expand the global presence even further by participating in joint-venture agreements in telecommunications with China. By incorporating their reputation into the foreign market, the exposure to an untapped market or competitive market, an organization is able to branch out with ideas that will produce additional profits. The leadership traits that Branson portrayed played a huge part in the motivation skills he used on his employees that increased production, Corporate leadership requires two important areas: content leadership (leader’s attributes and decision making skills) and context leadership (variables...
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...Assignment 4: Sir Richard Branson, Chairman, Virgin Group, Ltd. Case Study Due Week 8 and worth 100 points Read the Sir Richard Branson, Chairman, Virgin Group, Ltd. case study located in Chapter 11. Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you: 1. Describe Branson’s leadership style in terms of the leadership models addressed in Chapters 10 and 11 and evaluate the likely effectiveness of that style in the U.S. today. 2. Recommend a different leadership style (or combination of styles) that would make Branson an even more effective leader. 3. Determine how Branson would develop and lead a global team working on a major project (e.g., space tourism). 4. Discuss how you can incorporate some of Branson’s leadership qualities into you role at work or school. 5. Include three (3) external peer-reviewed sources to support your position. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: • Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. • Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: • Explain the variety of leadership theories and roles. • Analyze...
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...Reduced budget for advertising (not selling anything really “new”). Cons * Hard to distinct from the competitors (not selling anything really “new”). * Virgin Extras and fewer hidden fees might not be enough to make a consumer shift to the new brand. Option 2: Price below the Competition Pros * Easy to understand for the consumers (same pricing structure as rest of the industry). * Reduced budget for advertising (not selling anything really “new”). * Cheaper off-peak rates could differentiate Virgin from the rest of the industry. Cons * Virgin Extras and fewer hidden fees might not be enough to make a consumer shift to the new brand. * Less margins and lower earnings than the rest of the industry. * The industry can adjust their prices to compete. Option 3: A Whole New Plan Pros * Market penetration in the targeted segment (youth) is 25% (50% in the rest). * Industry is not very much interested in the targeted segment. * Virgin Extras might be interesting (very differentiated proposal) Cons * Targeted Market (youth) with limited expenditure capacity. * High risk of churn among the youth. * Less margins and lower earnings than the rest of the industry. Study of the LTV (refer to spreadsheet) * The industry has high LTV for postpaid contracts: $646.50. Virgin proposal has a lower LTV which is a disadvantage because the industry has room to readjust prices and has enough capacity to fight against a newcomer. * In...
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...• Virgin Atlantic provides a very exceptional service to its customers. People have been transported with a high level of accommodation and efficiency that is not provided by their competitors such as British Airways, Qatar airline etc. Virgin Atlantic pride themselves of how they treat their customers on each flight. However, they provide, food, drinks, entertainment with advanced technology and a welcoming staff. The geographic scope in presence is minimal. “They concentrates on Europe and especially North America, and has not taken advantage of emerging markets in Asia. For instance, in Asia, the Airline operates routes to Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Delhi, only; while in the Middle East, they fly to Dubai only” Entry and Exit Barriers Both...
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...Kazakov MKTG 489 02/05/14 Virgin Mobile Case The Virgin Mobile USA case exemplifies a challenging dilemma faced by CEO Dan Schulman when faced with the task of introducing Virgin Group’s mobile service to the American public. The Virgin Group led by Richard Branson, is a British based company with Virgin branded products extending into industries from apparel to airplanes. In 2001, the Branson led Virgin Group made the decision to extend their mobile service into North America: a market dominated by companies such as Verizon, At&t, and Sprint. In order to better distinguish themselves as a brand and to appeal to an emerging youth market, Virgin Mobile needed a pricing strategy that served the needs of their target market while being profitable. In In 2001, the mobile phone market in the U.S. was entering the maturity stage with a 50% industry penetration rate. However, the penetration rate for consumers age 15-19 was much lower. The main factor preventing this age group from being active mobile phone users was poor credit. Most mobile carriers overlooked this market due to high customer acquisition costs of about $370 per customer. However, Virgin Mobile USA CEO Dan Schulman was determine to reach the fast growing youth market stating that “By focusing exclusively on the youth market from the ground up, we’re putting ourselves in a position to serve these customers in a way that they’ve never been served before”. Schulman positioned the Virgin Mobile brand as a hip, fun...
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...Case Analysis “Virgin Mobile USA: Pricing for the Very First Time” Marketing II – BUSI2202U Group 40, Tuesday Session Word Count: Paper 2,912, Appendix 345 Problem Definition The unimpressive performance numbers in the market belonging to Virgin Mobile are mainly due to the lack of an attractive pricing strategy that would appeal to the target market group. The target market group (consumers aged 19 to 25) have different characteristics than other market groups and Virgin Mobile’s current pricing strategy is clearly not complementing those characteristics. As a result, a re-evaluation of the target market group is required in order to choose a better and more correct pricing strategy to appeal to the majority. The re-evaluation should result in a more successful pricing strategy as well as a solid entrance strategy to get the largest amount of exposure. Situation Analysis External Variables The American cellular market was not an easy market to penetrate as it was already overcrowded. Adding another service provider would not be an easy feat for Virgin Mobile. By 2001, there were already six national carriers and many regional players as well. Based on market share there were only four main industry players; Verizon, Cingular, AT&T, and Sprint. These companies controlled over 60% of the market along with VoiceStream, Alltel, US Cellular, Leap and number of smaller carriers. On top of there being many competitors, it was also believed that the cellular market...
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...Virgin Mobile Pricing Strategy Situational Analysis Virgin Mobile, a MVNO is planning to launch its services in USA. It’s target is underserved Demographics of 15-29 years as this age group is underserved by the regular telecom operators due to their low credit score ( Under 18 demographic cannot go for contract). They are planning to launch their product with service offerings that focuses on value added services. Problem Statement * The industry structure is such that supports post-paid user base and is completely different from UK industry structure. * Virgin will have to attract the new user base with lower budgets and this segment does not have a credit score * The industry has matured and the big players already have their decided segment. * Any pricing strategy should be such that it does not start a price war. * Virgin wants to break even as soon as possible SWOT Analysis of Virgin Mobile Group Strength * The company does not have a fixed cost in infrastructure. This gives them freedom to lower their customer acquisition cost * The VAS are created with a focus on target market with JV with MTV. * Brand Image represents fun, honesty, a sense of competition and value for money, which other Telecom operators don’t represent. This brand image resonates with the target group * Low cost of handsets at subsidised prices. Weakness * The company has low budget allocations for the advertising and customer education. Opportunity ...
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...Attn: Virgin Mobile The Virgin Conglomerate is known globally for disrupting industries with innovative practices. It is a highly diversified company with many different business entities operating in various, unrelated industries. Today, Virgin Mobile is on the brink of green-flagging a new cable business designed to solve some of the problems that have long afflicted cellular companies. In essence, Virgin Mobile strives to transform an industry by targeting a younger demographic. Their target market consist of 15-29 year olds since they are believed to be a growing market. However, large companies tend to shy away from this segment since they often have poor credit quality. Considering all the factors involved with entering a new market, a SWOT analysis and Porter’s 5 forces model will analyze the industry’s attractiveness. Porter’s 5 force model effectively assess all factors which include: threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of customers, bargaining power of suppliers, and rivalry among existing competitors. The threat of new entrants will be rather low since other organizations in the industry have already established their claims on most of the market share. Therefore, Virgin Mobile must assess the barriers to entry to ensure a competitive advantage can be maintained over other rivals. Moreover, mobile phones have become a necessity for everyday life, so these devices cannot be easily replaced, which lessens the threat of substitutes. In...
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...Composition Of Virgins Portfolio Marketing Essay The Virgin Group is a multi national corporation with a hugely diversified business portfolio. This essay examines how the Virgin Groups corporate strategy has allowed it to sustain competitive advantage. The first area that is covered is the composition of Virgins portfolio, namely what businesses Virgin is in and what is the logic of their portfolio. Within the composition section it puts forward two models that help to show why Virgin has chosen particular avenues for achieving growth and sustaining competitive advantage. The Core Competence Theory and Parenting Concept are then reviewed critically in regard to Virgin. Porters three tests are then related to the Virgin Group. Next the co-ordination of Virgins portfolio is addressed, how Virgin has managed its portfolio in its quest for growth and a sustained competitive advantage. Within the composition section of the essay is the issue of control versus the co-operation of Virgin and its business units. It then handles the four concepts of corporate strategy and how Virgin can and has used them to add value to its business units. The link between Virgins Corporate and Marketing strategy is then discussed before the other side of the argument is considered, looking at how Virgins corporate strategy destroyed rather than added value. Finally having synthesised the various diverse elements the essay concludes by using the knowledge gained to raise questions for Virgin about their...
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