Reference no: EM132226706

1 - “Understanding Human Behavior in OB” explain how internal and external perspectives are relevant in the study of Organizational Behavior. Give 3 examples of internal perspectives and external perspectives based on the Sir Richard Branson case.

2 - Explain, using a minimum of 2 examples from the Case or/and Chapter 1 in the text book, why it is important to study Organizational Behavior?

SIR RICHARD BRANSON: DEVELOPMENT OF AN ENTREPRENEUR

Virgin is one of the most respected brands in Great Britain and is rapidly becoming an important global brand as well. The Virgin brand was started in the 1970s with a small mail order record company that grew out of a student magazine. Since then Richard Branson has developed the Virgin brand into a veritable entrepreneurial empire, with businesses in travel and tourism (e.g., Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Trains, Virgin Balloon Flights, Virgin Galactic, and Virgin Holidays, among others); leisure and pleasure (e.g., Virgin Games, V2 Music, and Virgin Comics); social and environmental (e.g., Virgin Fuels and Virgin Earth); shopping (e.g., Virgin Books, Virgin Megastore, and Virgin Wines); media and telecommunications (e.g., Virgin Media, Virgin Mobile, and Virgin Radio); finance and money (Virgin Money); and health (Virgin Active and Virgin Healthy Bank).

Branson: The Background of a Developing Entrepreneur

In the first chapter of his autobiography, Richard Branson reminisces about some of his childhood experiences ones that would have a profound effect on his development as an adult and an entrepreneur. Branson writes that his parents, especially his mother, continually set challenges for him and his sisters, Vanessa and Lindi, in order to make them independent. These challenges were physical in nature rather than academic. According to Branson, he and his sisters were soon setting physical challenges for themselves.

A loving family played an important role in Branson’s development. “We were a family that would have killed for each other and we still are,” says Branson. Teamwork was also a hallmark of the family. Branson’s parents treated him and his two sisters as equals. They valued their children’s opinions and only provided advice when the children asked for it. Branson’s mother was very entrepreneurial, as was his Aunt Clare. Each developed several different ways of making money.

Despite his enormous entrepreneurial success, Branson still lacks a high school diploma. In school, Branson was a pitiful student but a superb athlete. Although he was dyslexic and had vision problems, his inability to read, write, and spell, and his poor performance on tests were blamed, nonetheless, on stupidity or laziness. In commenting on Branson’s academic miseries as a child in relation to his athletic and future entrepreneurial successes, one observer noted: “In the end, it was the tests that failed. They totally missed his ability and passion for sports. They had no means to identify ambition, the fire inside that drives people to find a path to success that zigzags around the maze of standard doors that won’t open. They never identified the most important talent of all. It’s the ability to connect with people, mind to mind, soul to soul. It’s that rare power to energize the ambitions of others so that they, too, rise to the level of their dreams.”

A passion for sports, adventure, family, and entrepreneurship define Sir Richard’s life. Branson has broken several air and land speed and distance records while racing boats and hot air balloons in his pursuit of adventure. He structures his work schedule so that he has ample time to spend with his family and friends. Indeed, Branson’s efforts to synthesize work, play, and life seem to be the hallmark of his business model and business success.