- 1 out of 2 associations have a code of ethics.

- 70% of associations make the code mandatory.

- Member must subscribe to the code to obtain or retain membership.

- Only 1 out of 3 associations report that it has methods of enforcing a code of ethics.

Design standards - specific materials to be used and the dimensions of the finished product

Performance standards - how the finished product should work

American associations spend 400 times MORE than government on setting/enforcing product and safetly standards

Licensure - meeting standards set by or involving a state or other governmental body

Registration - less rigorous than licensure

Certification - private bodies

Medical socities - pioneered certification programs

Certfication requires re-certification every 3-5 years

Accreditation -> Institutions :: Certification -> Individuals

Accreditation progams test an instituation's ability to do its job effectively

Involves self-administered questionnaires

71% conduct research or gather data on their members' profession or industry

Business/Government rely on that economic, demographic, social, or industrial information

Industry or profession studies are most popular - conducted by 41% of associations

Conducted by 41% of associations

Are industry research that enables employers to compare the salaries they offer with state, regional or national averages

Outgrowth of the total quality management movement

Seek out and identify the "best practice" so others can learn from and emulate it

Who will be interested in this information?

73% of associations conduct research and do not have full time research teams

The most useful surveys are conducted every 2 to 5 years

1 out of 10 associations look on industry research as a profit center

501(c)(6) associations sometimes create their on (c)(3) organization to receive the funds and perform the research

Government provides money if the research is seen as "in the public's interest"

Average association receives less than 2% of its income from suppliers' membership dues

Can generate a greater percentage from exhibit fees, sponsorships, and advertising.

Some associations become vertically integrated - their membership includes suppliers, middlemen, and end-users

1 out of 2 associations don't have a membership category

68% offer their "associate" or "affilate" members different benefits than primary members

Gives members the opportunities to "kick the tires" on products and keep up with the lastest developements in the industry

Most of the work is done by decorating companies so the association is reponsible for delivering the mass of buyers

Some associations have integrated their activities with for-profit trade shows

Suppliers state their business and apply for exhibit space

Publications offer suppliers the opportunity to regularly and repeatedly reach members with sales messages

Companies evaluate the CPM (cost per 1,000 readers) and type of person being reached

Standard Rate and Data Service (SRDS) - complies & publishes the advertising rates of many publications. Shows what other assocations charge suppliers for access

IRS considers ad sales to be unrelated income, therefore they are subject to taxation

Assocations look to suppliers to foot the bill for specific events and activities

Some associations have everything from bus transportation to coffee breaks covered by sponsorships

Suppliers can use sponsorships to build name recognition, generate goodwill among members

Assocations should not list qualitative information regarding the sponsor if they wish to avoid payment for taxes

Associations may just lend the use of their name to support the sales efforts and receive nontaxable royalties in return

Consult an attorney when entering partnerships

Gives suppliers access to their target markets - some rent their lists to one time use

Others provide members the option to delete their name from the mailing list rented to suppliers

Suppliers can be found on the board of governance for foundations because they can more effectively solicit their own colleagues in the vendor community for contributions

Provide an opportunity for suppliers interested in the future of the trade or profession

Many large associations have their own foundations that can contribute to the foundation without involving ads

Associate member - IRS doesn't know if dues from suppliers should be taxable or not, so members who joined strictly for access are considered "unrelated business income"

1 out of 3 associations allow associate members on their board of directors

1 out of 4 in individual organizations

60% do not allow associate members to have voting rights

Primary motive for joining a trade association: legislative representation on public policy issues

2 out of 3 associations monitor legislation at both federal and state level

69% have the ability to launce grassroots political activites among members

1 out of 3 associations devote full time staff of 3 employees to engage in government relations

60% engage in direct lobbying of regulatory or executive agencies/elected officials

There are no limits on how much money a 501(c)(6) may spend on lobbying

They spend on average 5% of their total income on it, while they spend 12.1% on meeting and expositions

Collecting and disseminating information about emerging issues

Agreeing on all the organization's stance on the issues through the work of committees and other goverance structures

Associations may team up to form a coalition so they can unite voices and make a larger impact

Typically include lobbyists, individual corporations and other entities in addition to one or more associations

Legislative branch first articulates and then adopts the laws of the country (making Congress the natural focal point for a national organization's lobbying activities)

Executive branch interprets the laws passed by Congress

Judicial branch upholds or reverses laws that are challenged and assocations may instigate litigation directly or submit amicuse curiae (friend of the court)

Only individuals can contribute to campaigns for a federal office and public disclosure is often required

Political Action Committees (PACs) - mechanism that enables individuals to pool their small contributions and make a bigger impression on a candidate

Labor unions were the first to formally pool money for political contributions

32% of associations operate a PAC with trade associations and state/regional organizations

About 16% of associations have incomes that exeed $10 million

Fewer than 30% of associations have a PR department and majority of those handle other responsibilites

Keeping members happy and well-informed should be a primary goal of PR efforts

For every customer who takes the time to complain, 12 others withdrawl their business without saying a word

1 unsatisfied customer typically tells 10-16 other people of their unhappy experience

Improving an industry or profession's image among its customers is accomplished primarily through education

By educating customers, associations help to shape expectation and bring them in line with reality, thus improving customer satisfaction

Launching campaigns aimed at building goodwill with the general public

Focus on national efforts on opinion leaders rather than the masses

Public relations is by no means just advertising

Newsworthy acts need to be brough to the attention of the media, but the media determines newsworthiness

Crisis - an unexpected, uncontrollable event that places the association or its members in a bad light

Issues management - depends on staff members and volunteer leaders looking into the future to determine which issues are most likely to cause controversy

10 is the maximum number of issues that can be managed effectively

Associations must formulate a response by designating a spokes person and a way to notify key officals and develop talking points

2 out of 3 trade associations have a chief staff executive spokes person

5% have the PR staff person fill the role

"No comment" = guilt

39% of associations have created separate charitable foundations

Tax deductible donations keep 501(c)(3) charities alive

Functions of association foundations:
Education (73%)
Scholarship programs (46%)
Research (37%) 

The establishment of a foundation presents opportunities to involve people outside the core membership

Slightly less than 20% of foundations pay a management fee to their parent organization

31% of foundations pay the association for service rendered on an as-needed basis

26% of foundations share overhead with the associations

Termination provisions for foundations require that the remaining assets go to another 501(c)(3) organization, not the association

Providing focus - a problem common to many associations is the desire to be all things to all categories and subcategories

Achieving consensus - agreement achieved can help both staff and elected leaders implement existing plans more effectively

Assign Roles

Review the Mission Statement

Collect Data

Scan the Environment

Assess Strengths and Weaknesses

Agree on the Mission Statement

Set General Objectives

Idenitify Measurable Activities

Set Priorities

Allocate Resources

Strategy refers to the alignment of an organization's activities with its external environment

The key process in strategic planning is the evaluation of social, technological, economic, and political trends that confront the organization in the trade or profession it represents

Developed by the Rand Corporation as a means of forecasting technological developments

(after it noted the issue of people's reluctance to speak up in front of groups)

Rand observed that the larger a group, the greater the reluctance for members to speak up

The Delphi Technique helps to build or identify consensus across a large range of individuals on issues that might solicit a wide range of responses

The degree of consensus tends to increase as the process proceeds