Washington, DC – How will the economy impact associations? A new survey conducted by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and The Center for Association Leadership is expected to provide insights on how the ailing economy may impact membership in associations and participation in association events.
The survey was conducted in January with 8,500 executives selected from the membership rolls of 100 associations in a wide range of industries. The results will be released in late February.
“Once the data is analyzed, we’ll have a better understanding of how the economy has affected and will continue to affect our collective memberships,” said John Graham IV, president and CEO of ASAE and The Center. “So far, we have speculated a lot about what the economy will do in the coming years but now we will have tangible data to use in future forecasting.”
While the survey did not ask specifically about companies’ plans to attend association trade shows and annual meetings, it did seek to measure participation in association activities at a time when corporate belts are being tightened. ASAE said associations rely on an enthusiastic level of engagement from the members, which could be dampened by the recession.
“This is an important study for the association community and will allow us to gather more information about professionals from various disciplines and backgrounds who belong to an association,” Graham said.
Reach John Graham at (202) 626-2741 or jgraham@asaecenter.org
