Branding of professional women in corporate South Africa

Although South African companies seem to make an attempt to employ more women to meet the required employment quotas, not enough is being done to allow women to grow beyond certain levels in their jobs, and it appears that women are still under-represented at top management level in corporate S.A. Despite employment-equity laws, gender inequalities regarding representative male-female ratios in corporate S.A. still appear to be prevalent at executive level.A more representative profile of male-female ratios at executive level in corporate S.A. might contribute towards a higher level of bottom-line performance for any organisation. The underlying premise is that by recognizing and utilizing their human potential to the fullest, the under-utilised available female talents and skills can contribute towards a larger skills pool within the organisation. In an attempt to assist m bridging the gap of gender inequality in corporate S.A., professional women may be branded as a valuable company asset. For females to be accepted and recognized by corporate S.A. as a brand, it is important to position them as a brand. To position a brand means emphasizing the distinctive characteristics that differentiate that brand from its competitors in a way that appeals to its target market.Identity, quality, differentiation, guaranteed consistency and clear communication to the target audience are the cornerstones of the branding process. In order for female professionals to be identified as a successful brand. these elements of the branding process need to be adhered to.What have traditionally been perceived to be inherent female qualities appear to meet the demands of contemporary management and leadership paradigms in a way that adds benefit to any leadership or management role in corporate S.A. The use of emotional selling propositions as a branding strategy seems to be a more powerful tool than using a brand's unique selling points, therefore professional women may be more successfully branded using an emotional selling proposition as a strategy.The primary objective of the study was to determine whether female professionals in corporate S.A. could be identified as a brand. The first secondary objective was to determine which key competencies and inherent characteristics are required of a good leader in a management position in corporate S.A. and to what degree women possess these key competencies and inherent characteristics. The second secondary objective of the study was to determine to what extent female executives are under-represented In management positions in corporate S.A. Through the study, the key competencies of a good leader were identified, and it was concluded that professional women possess those key competencies required of a good leader in a management position in corporate S.A. Although the study only identified professional women in corporate SA. as a brand, it can assist in providing useful information in the construction of an effective branding strategy to market professional women generally.The empirical study was conducted by means of a structured questionnaire that was emailed to respondents and to which responses were expected back within a two-week timeframe.