Diamonds Are Forever in Botswana

De Beers has been a prominent diamond mining and processing company in Botswana since the country gained its independence from colonial period. The company discovered its major business trading commodity�€"diamond�€"in which one of then-current poorest countries in the world, rooted in this country eventually, helped Botswana and its citizen board a fast economic growing track and established an interdependent relationship with country's government, beyond the company's business perspectives but company's responsibilities ultimately.

De Beer "did not simply plunder Botswana"(Diamond 2008), which was once known as one of less developed countries, low annual per capita income, slow growing GDP and poorly developed infrastructures, as well as other social welfare systems, such as education, health care. De Beers carried out its corporate social responsibility and contributed itself to the entire country's development.

Therefore, to help the stakeholders�€"the country and citizen and to help company itself, not only did De Beers invest Botswana's infrastructure construction, such as transportation, because people living in this country need these roads to reach outside and De Beers need such roads to ensure its own business operation, De Beers also preserved some of its profits for helping country fight against health issues, because H.I.V and AIDS are stumbling blocks in most African countries' development and individual citizens' development, and De Beers expects a healthy work force. Moreover, De Beers plays a social role as a philanthropist entity, offering scholarships to youth and helping build a more civil society and practicing leadership for African people.

Speaking for the economic role De Beers played, the company employed local citizens, established high-technology facilities, created joint venture with the government and practiced business ethically. Meanwhile, company adjusted its strategy to focus on increasing market demand, instead of controlling diamond supply. This successful transformation and strong sense of responsibility, partially because the company has rooted in Africa for many years, improved people living standards, which is acting on behalf of citizens; geared country's economic growth to a heterogeneous model, not is a agricultural dependent economy anymore; devoted to build a peaceful environment, because company stopped buying diamond from third party, who are most likely to raise the money for violence in Africa. Surely, De Beers' business also became more profitable than it had been and gained reputation mainly from an ethical, legal and effective diamond supply chain.

The company's sizable profits aid company's social role, acting as a good citizen and well qualified leader. Conversely, De Beers' business benefit from the country's prosperity and sustainable development. For economic perspective, the company could perform more efficiently, become more stable and fulfill many other self interests if the whole country developed well. Both social role and economic role are correlated and mutually supported.

The Botswana government's willingness and openness to cooperation contributed considerably in creating a joint venture with De Beers. "But it only works if countries will let it work" (Diamond 2004). If the country's leadership and governance were not honest enough, in other words, corrupted government�€"severe corruptions, unstable and frequent regime change and poor oversight�€"the De Beers-Botswana relationship would not have succeeded at all, the impacts from company's corporate social responsibility would have inevitable offset by government, despite of company's good intentions that to be a good citizens. Unlike the operation between many Chinese companies and African countries, paying off government and extracting local resources, the joint venture in De Beers-Botswana relationship accords both interests effectively and exhibits both parties' accountabilities, including what I have described above about De Beers' social roles. The joint venture overcomes one of corporation problems, "The most serious drawback, many critics contend, is their lack of accountability. Corporations are seen as 'rogue elephants', unbeholden to society. They do what they want even when it harms many stakeholders" (Goldsmith, Ch 11, p 219). The government holding shares in this venture lend a solid ground to oversee the industrial dominants.

De Beers retreated from an edge of monopoly by embracing the joint venture. To some extent, joint venture secures De Beers' resource and existing business and encourages company to explore and produce diamonds in Botswana. With such opportunities, De Beers is safe for many possible critics on monopoly. De Beers is also able to earn sustainable profits, even though its business percentage account for the country's GDP declined from 50 percent to a third.

Because of the De Beers' norms, acting as a good citizen and leader, the well maintained channel�€"joint venture�€"De Beers and Botswana government, and government's spirit of democracy, Botswana country and people are able to experience a sustainable economic growth and long-term develop. While the diamond