Branson cites his early management decisions at Virgin Records as prime examples of this people-oriented approach:

At Virgin records we attracted some of the best artists because they liked the way we ran it. We never lost a major artist in 20 years which is quite rare in the record industry. We dressed as we felt comfortable. We worked in pleasant buildings rather than office blocks and people working there had fun, enjoyed the job, enjoyed challenging, taking on the major record companies. (Glancey & McQuaid, 2000, p. 94)

If Virgin Records was going to about catering to the musical tastes of a new generation, then the company that supplied those wants was going to have to be a company that operated in accord with the views and aspirations of that new generation. Traditional business attire and the smug accoutrements of the typical corporate headquarters would be dispensed with in...
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