The primary aim of business is to make profit. In order to make profit, however, commercial interests have to concern themselves with the stability and prosperity of markets and their reputation in the eyes of present and future consumers. Those with a long term outlook will also be concerned with the cultivation of educated and responsible citizens.
Elections are also substantial commercial ventures, in their own way, so there are redoubled reasons for businesses to become a rich resource for educators. Private businesses can be considered as a source of financial donations for the voter education programme. At the same time, they should also be viewed as partners in the venture and may be approached for support in the areas of secondary and senior staff, facilities, personnel, materials and so on. In some cases, larger business enterprises may even be encouraged to run education programmes of their own.
The private sector may be a rich and diverse resource. Economic activity may include street vendors, multinational representatives, and peasant farmers selling their surplus. At the start of the twenty first century, the variety of economic activity is expanding even though each individual company would no doubt prefer (as would each politician) to be the only player in the field.
Because of this, it is not possible to consider the private sector as a monolith. Any assessment of the sector as a resource will have to consider the texture of the country rather than take a predetermined view of what can be achieved. The assessment will also have to take into consideration the extent to which the private sector has partisan interests, and if and how these can be overcome to assist a nonpartisan programme. In a similar vein, the assessment will have to consider the public image of the business community and the extent to which that might affect the credibility and legitimacy of the programme.
Educators will also want to look beyond the private sector as there may be some non-profit organisations in civil society with commercial, business, and professional interests. For more on these types of associations, see Organised Civil Society as Stakeholders in the Voter Education Mandate.
Ultimately, it is difficult to imagine any country in which it is possible to operate a national education campaign without some support from the private sector, even if it is only financial support.
