1 Virgin bases its approach on a particular culture, and linking a strong image with everyday action is said to be central to its success. How does this approach draw on the best-

fit, HPWP or resource-

based view (or some combination of these theories)?

The Virgin Group includes over 200 companies. The presence of founder Richard Branson features prominently in descriptions of the philosophy of Virgin. Within the businesses that include airline, train and phone companies, retail goods and financial services, promotion of the Virgin brand has been integral to HR strategy. From the outset, Branson directed the design of the employee side of Virgin to match the overall business model. He characterises the Virgin HR divisions as protectors of the internal culture and instructs all HR professionals to demonstrate understanding of all aspects of the organisation. Crucial to Branson’s approach is employee engagement, and Virgin cultivates this through a distinctive approach to internal communication.
The HR department cultivates the notion that ‘Virgin people’ are innovative, team-
oriented and fun – a concept that mirrors Virgin’s external persona. To communicate brand values to employees, Virgin sponsors rallies, workshops, activities and online training.
An internal communication community called ‘Virgin Village’ was created to engage and convey information to employees in energetic and innovative ways (Virgin, 2012). The intranet site provides a sort of community centre – a place where employees can check the latest information and communicate with one another.