How can professional associations continue to stay relevant? Knowledge management to the rescue

Abstract

Professional associations across various fields have largely been struggling to stay relevant. Many have been watching a steady decline in membership numbers over the years. In many cases, members who join do not renew their membership. Existing members complain about the association not giving enough value for their membership dues. While the association does all the right things that it has been doing for the years since its existence, there is often a gap in what a changing membership base or potential audience for membership demands and what the association is able to deliver. In such a scenario, what must associations do to change the tide, to continue to stay relevant, to stem the decline, and to attract new members, and retain the ones they have? Using literature from knowledge management (KM), especially Agarwal & Marouf (2014)'s KM adoption framework, Nonaka & Takeuchi (1995)'s SECI model, and Agarwal & Islam (2014)'s KM Tools framework, and a study of the websites of professional associations in library and information science, this paper proposes a thriving KM strategy as a way for professional associations to not just survive, but to thrive. The ideas presented would be relevant to the leadership of professional associations.

Looking for knowledge management in library and information science research

“…Many researchers in the past two decades have worked on the intersection of LIS and KM fields and discussed how KM is important for LIS, LIS professional associations (Agarwal and Islam, 2016) and for libraries. Some notable examples of research involving KM and academic libraries during the past two decades include building a knowledge bank in a university (Branin, 2003); reference services (Gandhi, 2004); KM from an African perspective (Jain, 2007); adoption of library 2.0 functionalities (Kim and Abbas, 2010); digital libraries (Islam and Ikeda, 2014); knowledge retention and transfer: how libraries manage employees leaving and joining (Agarwal and Islam, 2015); KM practices in Europe (Balagué et al, 2016); KM readiness of academic libraries (Marouf, 2017); KM and service innovation (Islam et al, 2017); Nigerian context (Ugwu and Ezema,2018); and perspective of LIS professionals toward implementation (Ahmad, 2019).…”

2020 Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology Membership Survey

“…The majority of respondents (86 percent, n = 73) reported to find their AACS members a value to them, and tended to be a member for three or less years. The AACS has made efforts, and continues to make efforts, to provide value to its members in an environment where professional associations have struggled to maintain membership (Agarwal and Islam 2016); these efforts seem to be productive as the total AACS membership has grown by approximately 37.13 percent since 2014. Nevertheless, respondents suggested that the AACS should consider maintaining and increasing networking opportunities, offer additional professional development opportunities, issue membership certificates, promote AACS certifications, and offer additional “general” membership benefits.…”

Investigating Factors Affecting the Low Uptake of Insurance Institute of South Africa (IISA) Membership Among Insurance Professionals in Botswana.

“…To foster networking opportunities, the IISA can organize regular events, seminars, and conferences where members can meet and exchange knowledge and experiences (Agarwal & Islam, 2016). Leveraging technology through virtual networking platforms can also extend opportunities to interact, collaborate, and share expertise regardless of physical location.…”