영국 버진 그룹의 창업자 리처드 브랜슨의 명언
“Business opportunities are like buses, there's always another one coming”
영 국의 세계적 복합기업인 버진그룹의 창업자 리처드 브랜슨(Richard Branson). 미디어 노출을
즐기고, 손대는 사업마다 성공궤도에 올려놓는 탁월한 사업 감각 덕분에 ‘히피 기업가’로 불리는
그는 지난 2002년 세계적 경영컨설팅그룹 액센추어에 의해 50명의 경영 구루의 하나로 선정된 바
있다. IT전문지 <와이어드> 등에 실린 그의 발언을 발췌해 실었다.
●A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts. 사업은 무엇보다 재미있어야만 한다. 특히 성공을 위해 기업가는 창조적인 본능을 최대한 활용
해야 한다.
●Business opportunities are like buses, there's always another one coming. 사업 기회란 마치 버스와 같다. 하나가 떠나버리면 또 다른 버스가 오게 마련이다.
●Even the smallest, youngest companies should not be frightened to go overseas. The opportunities
in the world are immense. 규모가 아주 작고, 역사가 일천한 기업도 해외로 나가는 것을 두려워해서는 안된다. 기회란
무궁무진하다.
●I wanted to be an editor or a journalist, I wasn't really interested in being an entrepreneur, but I
soon found I had to become an entrepreneur in order to keep my magazine going. 나는 편집자나 기자가 되기를 원했을 뿐이다. 기업가 따위는 안중에도 없었다. 하지만 내 잡지를
굴러가도록 하기 위해서는 무엇보다 기업가적 마인드가 필요하다는 것을 깨닫게 되었다.
●Ridiculous yachts and private planes and big limousines won't make people enjoy life more, and
it sends out terrible messages to the people who work for them. 요트나 자가용 비행기, 그리고 큰 리무진 자동차가 사람들의 삶을 더욱 즐겁게 만들지는 못한다.
이러한 평범한 사실이 종종 그들을 위해 일하는 사람들이 긴장의 끈을 바짝 조이게 만든다.
●Give people a second chance if they screw up. Even people who have stolen from us have
become, when given a second chance, incredibly loyal and valued employees. 업무를 망쳐버린 사람들일지라도 두 번째 기회는 주어져야 한다. 회사의 소중한 성장기회를 박탈한
사람들도 두 번째 기회를 부여받을 때 누구보다 충성스러워진다. 소중한 인적자산이 되는 것이다.
The aviation industry needs to act on climate change,
not just talk about it, says Richard Branson.
Richard Branson June 7, 2007
I AM the first to admit that I am a relatively recent convert to the need to tackle climate change. I was inspired after meeting former US vice-president Al Gore, who convinced me that I could play a part in convincing others that it was time for urgent change.
Why have I so strongly set out my green ambitions for Virgin Atlantic and other parts of Virgin? Because, from the books I've read and the scientists I've met, I am certain the world is heading for environmental catastrophe if we carry on as we are, relying on fossil fuels to improve our daily lives. Our children and grandchildren will never forgive us for doing nothing to stop climate change.
I am an airline owner and, yes, we have done our bit to cause environmental damage. But now we have to do something about it.
Our planet needs the biggest step-change of them all. We need technology to be developed that will reduce carbon emissions by all airlines, which contribute nearly 2 per cent of global emissions. If we had much cleaner and more efficient planes, then we could start to reduce the contribution we make to climate change.
We all have a responsibility, whether as airline owners, manufacturers or engine makers, to reduce the carbon and noise footprint that has grown over the years. Doing nothing should not be an option for any airline, whether based in Australasia, America, the Far East, the Middle East or Europe.
We've set out a series of initiatives over the past year to help clean up our act and lead the rest of the industry into action. Virgin has pledged $US3 billion ($A3.6 billion) over the next 10 years - from the profits and dividends of its transport businesses — to be spent on developing the clean fuel of the future.
We have also been trialling the towing of our aircraft, without engines running, to runways. This has saved some six tonnes of carbon dioxide a flight, a small but important step in understanding the different ways we can cut fuel burn. With our pilots using the continuous descent approach technique more often, we can save even more fuel.
CDA means pilots begin their descent from high altitude much earlier, leading to a slower, smoother approach.
We've recently ordered 15 new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, each of which will cut our fuel burn by up to 30 per cent a flight, after we take delivery in 2011. These aircraft also have a much smaller noise footprint, which will be a major improvement for the communities that live around busy airports and those under flight paths.
We are also going to become the first airline in the world to demonstrate biofuels in the air, once Boeing and GE have tested a series of possible biofuel solutions on the ground next year. It is now possible to think the unthinkable and know that a non-fossil fuel really is years, not decades, away.
Until now, the aviation industry has been too slow at demonstrating what it is doing to help prevent environmental damage. Yet there are many initiatives under way designed to cut fuel burn, probably more than are taking place, in the shipping and cruising industry, which contributes twice as much as aviation does to climate change.
In the future, passengers will be flying on lighter, quieter planes running on biofuel. It is no longer a dream. These planes will fly longer distances, such as Perth to London non-stop, and join up families, friends and business
travellers, who these days find it harder to make such a long journey.
Australia needs to be at the forefront of these developments. I believe the aviation industry needs to work far more
closely on tackling climate change. We need more deeds, not words, from all those involved in moving us around
the world.
The next time you book a ticket, ask the airline what they're doing to reduce their carbon emissions. If they can't
tell you, switch to someone who cares a little more. Then, future generations will be able to thank us for cooling
down global warming.
Richard Branson is the founder and owner of the Virgin brand.
We are also going to become the first airline in the world to demonstrate biofuels in the air, once Boeing and GE
have tested a series of possible biofuel solutions on the ground next year. It is now possible to think the
unthinkable and know that a non-fossil fuel really is years, not decades, away.
Until now, the aviation industry has been too slow at demonstrating what it is doing to help prevent environmental
damage. Yet there are many initiatives under way designed to cut fuel burn, probably more than are taking place
in the shipping and cruising industry, which contributes twice as much as aviation does to climate change.
In the future, passengers will be flying on lighter, quieter planes running on biofuel. It is no longer a dream. These
planes will fly longer distances, such as Perth to London non-stop, and join up families, friends and business
travellers, who these days find it harder to make such a long journey.
Australia needs to be at the forefront of these developments. I believe the aviation industry needs to work far more
closely on tackling climate change. We need more deeds, not words, from all those involved in moving us around
the world.
The next time you book a ticket, ask the airline what they're doing to reduce their carbon emissions. If they can't
tell you, switch to someone who cares a little more. Then, future generations will be able to thank us for cooling
down global warming.
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