Strategy Formulation

Strategy

This fact sheet is intended primarily for business membership organisations (BMOs) that are proposing to put in place plans to become mores sustainable – though the principles are relevant to any organisation. There is a slight complication in the sense that BMOs are voluntary, not for profit, associations bringing together businesses, usually though not always, from a specific business sector to pursue common objectives. Sometimes businesses in a specific geographic area come together to form an association, usually known as a Chamber. The major objective for most associations is to give their members a voice – indeed that is often the single biggest reason why new associations are formed. However, associations quickly discover that all businesses in their sector receive the benefit from whatever they achieve, irrespective of whether they join and pay a subscription. So, in addition to providing representation on wider policy and practice, associations also need to provide services to members which are sufficiently attractive to encourage them to pay a subscription. BMOs are usually able to provide these services more effectively than the members could provide them individually. Typically this will include representing the sector and influencing opinion formers (including politicians, journalists, research bodies, NGOs, other trade associations and consumer bodies). Services are likely to include information, statistics, market information and benchmarking information; seminars, conferences and training; and perhaps technical services such as legal, technical improvement, environmental consultancy, and training and development. The big challenge Many BMOs provide a range of services for, and are valued by, their members. As a result members pay their subscriptions, and often the services provided generate additional income. So the BMO can afford to pay professional staff and give them the resources to be able to keep on delivering effective services...