It's got to 'fit' - exploring corporate sponsorship decisions for festivals. (2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith, Wayne W.; Pitts, Robert E.; Litvin, Stephen W.; Mack, Rhonda W.
• Is Part Of: International journal of hospitality and event management. Volume 1:Number 4(2016)
• Page Start: 293
• Page End: 304
• Publication Date: 2016
• Subjects: corporate sponsorship -- festivals -- sponsorship decisions -- fit -- business-to-business -- B2B -- decision making -- festival sponsorship -- non-sporting events -- altruism -- community goodwill -- personal links -- marketing -- business-to-consumer -- B2C -- employee relations -- employee involvement; Hospitality industry -- Management -- Periodicals; Special events -- Management -- Periodicals; 647.068
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-0483

Abstract

The sponsorship decision criteria for a local, but significant, non-sporting event is examined via in depth interviews and a grounded theory-based qualitative methodology. Transcripts of in depth interviews of the key sponsorship decision makers at 30 sponsoring firms across a range of business categories were systematically coded to identify sponsorship decision criteria. 29 of the 30 respondents mentioned 'fit' as a key criterion in the decision to sponsor. Further probing during the interviews revealed that the concept of 'fit' takes on multiple dimensions and meanings: 1) an altruism component of community goodwill and personal linkage; 2) a marketing component of both business-to-business and business-to-consumer; 3) an internal organisation component of employee relations and employee involvement were determined to be variations in the defining of the concept. Findings are discussed and directions for future research identified.