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Richard Branson: Companies Should Put Employees First
The Virgin founder shares how making employees the top priority can bring benefits for both customers and investors.

"If the person who works at your company is not appreciated, they are not going to do things with a smile," Branson says. By not treating employees well, companies risk losing customers over bad service. To this end, Branson says he has made sure that Virgin prioritizes employees first, customers second, and shareholders third. "Effectively, in the end shareholders do well, the customers do better, and your staff remains happy," he says.

Source: Raymundo, O. (2018). Richard Branson: Companies Should Put Employees First. [online] Inc.com. Available at: put-employees-first.html [Accessed 11 December. 2018].

• Examples of how empowerment may be implemented within Virgin Active, Ballito. (14)

You are required to reference at least 3 authors or academic sources that you consulted in

Section B
Read the following and answer the questions that follow:

Steers is one of the best known and most successful quick-service restaurant brands in South Africa, with a noteworthy presence in a highly competitive fast-food market. But where does its story begin?

After Uncle George died in 1984, leadership of the chain passed to his nephews Peter, Theo and their brother, Perry, as well as to Uncle George's youngest son, John. The three brothers had all been operating their own franchises and John was operating the manufacturing business, supplying Steers outlets and other retailers. Together, they re-engineered the brand and actively sought new franchisees. The early 1980s saw the opening of Steers in Sandton City, which attracted interest from would-be franchisees, and this encouraged the team behind Steers to launch their franchise programme.

Steers Holdings listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in November 1994, and in 2001 changed its name to Famous Brands. This reflected the diversity of the Famous Brands group portfolio, although Steers remained the icon brand within the group.

The brand has continued to prosper and currently has over 546 Steers restaurants worldwide. By attracting new consumers as well as increasing the consumption frequency of existing customers, Steers succeeded in reaching their target of double-digit system-wide sales growth in 2012.

They have invested their money in the business, so their commitment is far greater."

The philosophy at Steers is that a profitable and happy franchisee makes a profitable and happy franchisor, and the strength of Steers' growth can be attributed to its franchising model. Their franchising formula is ideal for someone who wants a business opportunity and allows entrepreneurs to invest in a business when they can't do it alone.

Steers identified a lucrative gap in the 12 to 18-year-old age group market, and to target this market they released a series of catchy adverts for their 'Hoohah' campaign. This 'teens and young adults' group is a large market, which has gained global attention as a prime marketing target. This group is often bombarded with the latest trends in fashion, entertainment and technology, and interaction with this sector demands a relevant message and a unique offering geared to the group's particular likes and trends.

Another development in the brand's stable of restaurant concepts is the Steers Diner. In an agreement between Steers and Shell, the Steers Diner offers a take away option, or a fully serviced seating area for sit-down meals at selected Shell garages which are strategically allocated along