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1 Is Leadership A Learned Skill Or An Innate Gift? A Case Study of Virgin Group and British Airways Student’s Name Institution Professor Course Date of Submission

2 Introduction Leadership is one of the exciting subjects in the world today. There have been discussions on the subject, with some indicating that it is a gift while others suggest that it can be taught. The subject of whether or not leadership is something that can be taught or is something that comes naturally is of considerable importance to those who aspire to leadership roles and to organizations that want to cultivate leadership potential (Boerma et al. , 2017). Understanding the context and processes that give rise to leadership capabilities may shed light on how individuals can better their leadership abilities and how organizations can identify, develop, and support their successors (Hùng, 2016). A case study method was chosen for this research because it provides a suitable environment for investigating the nature of leadership. Sir Richard Branson, the iconic business entrepreneur at the helm of Virgin Group, is known for his unconventional and innovative management style (Niphadkar, no date). However, British Airways has a more extended history, traditional business processes, and leadership transitions (Bogdanovska Djurovic, 2011). Researchers can analyze the leadership styles, actions, and results within different organizational settings by comparing and contrasting the two case studies presented here. The results of this study have the potential to have useful repercussions for organizational practices, leadership development programs, and talent management techniques. It may be used as a guide in the development and execution of successful leadership training programs, recruiting and selection procedures, and succession planning methods. In addition, understanding

3 the differences between the components of leadership that are acquired and those that are inherent may help the continuing scholarly. Research Questions  What specific leadership skills and attributes have enabled the success of the Virgin Group?  To what extent can leadership skills be learned through education and experience?  How have the leadership styles within the Virgin Group evolved?  What are the critical differences in the leadership styles of British Airways and Virgin Group that can be recommended for successful leadership within the same industry? ResearchAim and Objectives  To identify the critical leadership skills and attributes that have enabled the success of the Virgin Group.  To investigate how much leadership skills can be learned through education and experience.  To analyze the changes in the leadership styles of the Virgin Group over time.  To evaluate the effectiveness of the leadership strategies employed by the Virgin Group.  To compare and contrast the performance of Virgin Group with its competitor, British Airways, to find the key differences and recommendations for leadership style with similar industry business.

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4 Research Philosophy and Strategy Research Philosophy This study will take employ the interpretivism philosophy. When understanding human behavior and occurrences, interpretivism acknowledges the importance of social and cultural contexts. Through interpretivism, the personal experiences, meanings, and interpretations of people inside organizations may be explored by examining leadership as a learned ability or intrinsic gift (Balsvik, 2017). It recognizes leadership as a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by various environmental and social influences. The interpretivist approach works well for this study because it allows for a nuanced examination of the leadership styles of Virgin Group and British Airways within their various organizational cultures. This method, which examines leadership from an individual's perspective, may help learn more about how leadership is formed and understood in the real world. Interpretivism, as stated by Bernardino (2023), offers the required lens for understanding the subjective components of leadership development, which are profoundly impacted by social and cultural contexts. This study's leaders' perspectives and experiences within the unique organizational settings of Virgin Group and British Airways are captured via an interpretivist lens. Research Strategy This study will use a deductive approach to its investigation. Research conducted using a deductive method is guided by and draws findings from pre-existing ideas and notions (Thierry, 2023). In this scenario, the researcher wants to base our thinking on what we already know about leadership and the taught vs. intrinsic issue.

5 This study uses a deductive method to integrate previously established ideas and concepts into the analyses of the Virgin Group and British Airways. To use deductive reasoning, one must first generate hypotheses based on previously accepted ideas before testing those assumptions by examining secondary facts. This method ensures that the study is grounded in theoretical frameworks while allowing for a methodical investigation of the examples (Thierry, 2023). The need to expand pre-existing leadership theories and ideas justifies the use of a deductive strategy. Given the enormous volume of literature on leadership development, a deductive strategy enables a well-organized examination of the case studies and the incorporation of pre-existing ideas into the investigation. Method of Data Collection Most of this research's data will come from secondary, qualitative sources. The data will be gathered from various sources, including case studies, academic papers, industry reports, government reports, and journal articles (Tristano and Terminel Iberri, 2023). The purpose of these methods is to elicit a broad range of perspectives on the question of whether or not leadership skills can be taught. The literature, case studies, and reports that have previously explored leadership phenomena may be thoroughly combed with qualitative secondary research. By critically examining and synthesizing the information presented in these secondary sources, the study will be able to expand upon previously established knowledge and hypotheses. The data search will cover a period from 2013 to 2023 to guarantee useful and up-to-date findings. This period guarantees you access to the most up-to-date information on leadership, including advancements, trends, and academic debates. The data will be gathered from journals, financial reports, case studies, and industrial reports.

6 Data will be analyzed to guarantee a thorough investigation and reduce the potential for prejudice (Tristano and Terminel Iberri, 2023). This study seeks to collect a variety of viewpoints, theoretical frameworks, and empirical data on the topic of leadership development by performing a thorough examination of the relevant literature, case studies, and reports. Findings from the chosen sources will be analyzed thoroughly to determine overarching themes, patterns, and variances. The possibility for bias is reduced, and the reliability and validity of the study are improved by the utilization of many sources and the triangulation of information. Recognizing the difficulties of dealing with secondary data is essential. These include the possibility of different study methods, discrepancies in data collecting, and restrictions on access to data (Tristano and Terminel Iberri, 2023). This study aims to overcome these obstacles and make the most of the accessible secondary data by using a methodical data collection and analysis approach. This study seeks to overcome the limitations of secondary data analysis by employing qualitative secondary research methods, a focus on recent sources, and a review of a wide range of materials from reliable sources in order to draw meaningful conclusions about whether leadership is a learned skill or an innate gift. Data analysis Because of the nature of the data sources and the research questions, qualitative methods will be used for most of the data analysis in this investigation. The method used to analyze the data will be thematic analysis. Familiarization, creating themes, evaluating themes, defining themes, and writing up the results are the processes that are included in this process. This strategy follows the standards that Terry and Hayfield (2021) have outlined for qualitative theme analysis; hence it

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7 can be used. The first phase in the process is doing a comprehensive evaluation of the chosen data sources to get familiar with the subject matter, ideas, and themes associated with leadership development. Getting to know the data set better is one of the goals of this familiarization step, which will assist in achieving that goal. After the familiarisation process is finished, themes will be formed. This will be done by analyzing the similarities between the codes. The themes will capture the patterns, thoughts, and viewpoints associated with leadership, whether seen as a talent that can be taught or as a natural gift. In this stage of the process, you will be tasked with recognizing recurrent themes and sub- themes that arise from the data (Terry and Hayfield, 2021). After the themes have been developed, they will be analyzed to see whether or not they correctly represent the facts and whether or not they convey the subtleties and intricacies of the study issue. The previous data will be reviewed throughout this review step, and alternative interpretations and extra themes that may have surfaced throughout the analysis will be considered. The topics that have been examined will be improved and defined using descriptions that are both clear and short. The authenticity and trustworthiness of the conclusions will be ensured by including supporting evidence derived from the data sources that were studied alongside each of the themes (Terry and Hayfield, 2021). The definitions of the themes will be able to capture the heart of the research issue and the pertinent insights generated from the study of the data. In the last step of the write- up, the facts examined and the themes obtained will be combined and incorporated into a narrative that makes sense. The results will be organized, per the study's goals, and backed by pertinent evidence gleaned from the many data sources chosen. The study subject will be investigated in this piece of writing in a thorough and informative manner. Conclusion

8 In summary, the researcher investigated if Leadership is A Learned Skill Or An Innate Gift. The researcher considered a Case Study of Virgin Group and British Airways. The research was relevant as it could give more insight into the topic and help to further understanding of the topic. The researcher employed an interpretivism research philosophy and a deductive research approach. Data was collected from secondary sources and analyzed using thematic analysis. Reflective evaluation An all-encompassing and methodical strategy was used throughout the study phase to guarantee success. An outline of the research process, including an estimate of how long certain aspects of data collecting and analysis took, and a discussion of the method's advantages and disadvantages will be included in this reflective review. Secondary qualitative sources, such as case studies, journal articles, and industry reports, were combed extensively throughout the data-gathering process. It took around four weeks to complete this procedure, which was plenty of time to collect the required data. I preferred recent publications and reputable sources to guarantee accurate and up-to-date data. The data was analyzed using a theme analysis technique in tandem with the data-gathering phase. A certain amount of time was allotted for each stage, and the allotted time allowed for carefully examining the data, extracting significant themes, and synthesizing the results. The research strategy had several redeeming qualities and successfully tackled the study's goals. The choice of interpretivism as the research philosophy allowed for an in-depth exploration of subjective experiences and perspectives related to leadership as a learned skill or an innate gift.

9 The study successfully drew upon prior knowledge using a deductive methodology to build a solid theoretical groundwork for the investigation. Several difficulties and flaws were experienced, even though the research strategy was generally successful. The use of secondary sources for information raised the chance of erroneous results due to methodological inconsistencies, differences in data quality, and restricted influence on data accessibility. This bias was reduced by giving preference to recent publications and reliable sources. It is understood, however, that secondary data may still have certain inherent biases and limits. Keeping the data amount and analytical depth under check was another difficulty. With a significant amount of data available, ensuring a comprehensive analysis while avoiding information overload required careful selection and prioritization of key themes and insights. We zeroed in on the details that mattered to maximize the limited resources. The study strategy was flexible and adaptable since it was reviewed and revised regularly. The iterative nature of the data analysis process facilitated a continuous refinement of themes and insights, ensuring a thorough and nuanced understanding of the research topic. Its meticulous methodology, solid theoretical foundation, and thorough data analysis highlighted the approach's overall quality. The highlighted vulnerabilities were recognized and mitigated by suitable tactics and contingencies, guaranteeing the honesty and dependability of the study results. Gantt Chart

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10 Task Feb March April May June July August Initial Research Submit Topic/ Research Questions and Research Objectives Topic Approval and Feedback Proposal Start Submit Annotated Bibiligraphy Start Submit Design/ Data Collection and Data Analysis Start Submit Narrated Video/ Digital Presentation Start Submit The researcher was able to adhere to the above Gantt chart strictly. The Gantt chart helped me ensure that the research was conducted well and successfully. Reference List Balsvik, E. (2017) “Interpretivism, first-person authority, and confabulation,” Philosophy of the social sciences , 47(4–5), pp. 311–329. doi 10.1177/0048393117705297.

11 Bernardino, G. J. D. L. S. (2023) “Beyond positivism and interpretivism: An invitation to political competency in nursing,” Nursing inquiry , p. e12560. Doi: 10.1111/nin.12560. Boerma, M. et al. (2017) “Point/counterpoint: Are outstanding leaders born or made?,” American Journal of pharmaceutical education , 81(3), p. 58. doi: 10.5688/ajpe81358. Bogdanovska Djurovic, A. (2011) "Transformational change or not?: The case of British Airways (2008-2010)," SSRN Electronic Journal . Doi: 10.2139/ssrn.1947296. Hùng, H. T. (2016) “Is leadership innate or learned? Implications for leadership development,” HUE UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE ECONOMICS AND DEVELOPMENT , 113(14), p. 65. doi 10.26459/jed.v113i14.3653. Niphadkar, C. (no date) The new age transformational leader: Richard Branson , Ijser.org . Available at: https://www.ijser.org/researchpaper/The-new-age-transformational-leader-Richard- Branson.pdf (Accessed: July 17, 2023).

12 Terry, G. and Hayfield, N. (2021) Essentials of thematic analysis . Washington, D.C., DC: American Psychological Association. Thierry, B. (2023) “The deductive, inductive, and comparative approaches: What drives primate studies,” Primates; Journal of Primatology , 64(4), pp. 389–392. doi 10.1007/s10329-023-01073- w. Tristano, M., Jr and Terminel Iberri, A. I. (2023) “Dancing with data: A collaborative and critical qualitative inquiry,” International Review of qualitative research: IRQR , 16(2), pp. 146–162. doi 10.1177/19408447221131022.

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