Beauty pageantry and corporate social investment in Botswana

Abstract

Companies’ sponsorship of cultural events such as beauty pageants is a common phenomenon in the global business community (Fan & Pfitzenmaier, 2002). Despite global trends in the successful sponsorship of beauty pageants, one of the major challenges facing the advancement of the beauty pageant industry in Botswana is lack of sponsorship by the local business community (Madondo, 2013).

Literature reviewed indicated that corporate social investment (CSI) is an avenue through which companies support meaningful cultural events and community projects (Rundle, 2004) and that there is both possibility and opportunity for the integration of the pageant phenomenon into a business’s CSI strategy (Auletta & Jaen, 2013). The purpose of this study was to explore and understand the perceptions held by companies in Botswana towards sponsoring beauty pageants as a CSI initiative. This study will inform the strategic positioning necessary for beauty pageants to benefit from companies in Botswana which are actively engaged in CSI.

The study was conducted using qualitative research methodologies for both data collection and analysis. Interviews were undertaken to gather the experiences of twenty (20) companies listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) or with a CSI culture. The interviews were then subjected to iterations of analysis in order to derive the companies’ perceptions of sponsorship of beauty pageants as a CSI initiative. Findings demonstrated that many companies in Botswana embrace the sponsorship of beauty pageants as a CSI initiative. It was concluded that while companies are willing to sponsor and associate with beauty pageants through their CSI, there is need for alignment of social impact projects of beauty pageants to CSI focus areas of companies in order to achieve lasting symbiotic relationships and for purposes of sustainability