Many associations struggle to achieve significant growth. Often this is because they have already penetrated the majority of the available domestic market and have hit a plateau.
New, international markets, especially those that are not well served by a local or national association, can offer the best opportunity for growth. With a population of over 300 million, the United States still only represents only a fraction of the world population.
The European Union now represents a larger economy than the US with a very similar, and in many cases higher, standard of living. The economy of China is now the second largest on the planet. The emerging economies of the world now include over 2 billion citizens that are hungry for information, education, training, professional development and community to better their personal lives.
Does your association have a plan on how to tap into this vast market? World-wide economic swings, rapidly evolving social media and communications technologies, global supply-chains, a 24/7 business and news cycle, fluctuating currency rates and uncertain political developments are all shaping the environment in which associations operate faster than ever.
When the rate of change in the external environment exceeds the ability of an association to react to that change, a gap develops. This disconnect, between the rate of change in the environment and the capacity of the association to adapt poses a serious threat to the future of the organization.
Leading associations have recognized that international expansion represents one of the few real opportunities for significant growth. However, trying to grow your organization internationally is fraught with obstacles and questions:
· How do we measure the real market potential?
· Which countries, with which products or services should we focus on?
· How do we build our internal capacity to manage these new markets? · How do we identify and assess the competitive environment?
· How do we avoid the mistakes and pitfalls that other associations have fallen into when they went international? Associations need expert reference information on how to develop and implement a global growth strategy.
This requires a deep understanding of the underlying trends, a sharpened definition of your organization’s value proposition internationally, together with a process based approach to strategy development that will result in a sound business plan. GLOBALSTRAT has crafted this white paper for association leaders (volunteers and staff); - to better understand the issues involved; - to be able to ask themselves the right questions; - to gain a better understanding of how to approach the subject.
There is no one “best” approach to international strategy development. Your organization will be guided by the trends specific to your industry or profession. It will also depend greatly on your organizational culture, tolerance for risk, management team capabilities, resources and the direct competitive environment you are operating in.
This paper contains data, examples, diagrams and tables together with straight forward advice and explanations that are based on more than 20 years of hands-on international business and association management experience. The paper is designed to help you ask the right questions while providing you with the pro’s and con’s of available choices and options.
Yes, I would like to read GlobalStrat's Whitepaper.
This has been a guest article by Terrance Barkan CAE. Terrance Barkan has been involved in association management at a senior level since 1991. Early in his association management career, he served as Executive Director for international trade and professional societies.
As the founder and CEO of GLOBALSTRAT, Mr. Barkan acts as senior advisor and consultant on a global basis for trade and professional associations, international federations and foundations. As an association professional, Mr. Barkan has accumulated a significant body of specialized knowledge and experience in the not-for-profit sector.
He has supported the creation of new volunteer organizations, guided existing organizations, advised volunteer leadership on governance and strategy, and facilitated alliances and mergers, all of which brings a creative and pro-active approach to client mandates.
