1. Roles of Chambers & Associations
20 September 2016
Hargeisa City - Maansoor Hotel
By: Hailemelekot Asfaw

2. Outline
Purpose and Roles of Business Associations
Future Trends of Business Associations
Challenges of Business Associations
How Business Associations Provide Value Added Services
The Roles of Business Associations in Public Policy Advocacy

3. I. Purpose and Roles of Business Associations+
GOVERNMENT
STAKEHOLDERS 3

5. Strong business associations…
Harness the capacity of private businesses
Create business opportunities
Protect the interests of both companies and employees.
Promote civil society
Enhance the business climate
Combat corruption
Provide a social “good” to society

6. II. Future Trends of Business Associations
“Humans can never change the way they act until they change the way they think” - Mark McCord

7. Future Trends
Using technology to build visibility and grassroots support
Embracing strategic planning as a value added process
Changing the membership development paradigm
Establishing transparent financial systems
Improving organizational and corporate governance

8. Future Trends
Embracing public policy advocacy in support of member demand
Becoming a broker of information
Embracing community development as a core value
Becoming a driving force in educational and workforce initiatives
Engaging in public-private-partnership (PPP)

9. Future Trends
Celebrating diversity as a way to foster social and political change
Focusing on marketing strategies to reinforce organizational purpose and message
Adopting a team-oriented management style
Focusing on economic development as an economic building block
Employing and empowering professional staff members
Involving the business community

10. III. Challenges of Business Associations
Lack of trust
Lack of Communication
Inability to adjust
Lack of legal
Lack of BA mentality
Lack of….

11. Lack of a business association mentality
Lack of trust
Lack of communication between organizations and their members
Inability to adjust to a management style that is conducive to peak organizational effectiveness (due to lack of effective internal communication)
Lack of a legal infrastructure or the adherence to an archaic law(s) that governed organizational development.

12. IV. How business associations provide value added services?
The Five Way Test:
1. Is the program consistent with the organization’s mission?
2. Is the activity demand-driven?
3. Does the association have the technical and staffing capacity to sustain the program or service?
4. Will the program achieve desired outcomes?
5. Does the program duplicate the efforts of other organizations?

13. Examples of value added services
Fee for Services - Under a fee for services program, an association member pays a small membership fee (dues) and then pays an additional amount of the services he/she uses (e.g. business info, certification)
Publications - Membership Directory, Newsletter, Tourism Publications, Trade/Investment Publications, Guide for Entrepreneurs, etc.
Network Meetings-Revenue generator to bring together buyers and sellers

14. International Trade/Investment - Global Investment Forum, Trade Missions , Trade Exhibitions, Virtual Trade Mission
Technology - Website Development, Web- Based Advertising, Electronic Newsletter/Magazine

15. Consulting Services - Business Development Consulting, Entrepreneurial Assistance, Labor Negotiation, Arbitration Services, Quality Standards, Management Audits, Legal Services, Market Research

16. V. The Roles of Business Associations in Public Policy Advocacy
Dialogue is KEY !

17. 1. To make the voice of businesses heard
Media
Lawmakers
Regulators, bureaucrats and administrators
General public including business association members
Policy Advocacy is the most important function of a Business Association!

18. 2. To strengthen business associations
Articulate members’ concerns in a unified voice
Meet regularly with decision-makers
Establish regular channels of communication and close working relationships with government officials (e.g. PPD platform)
Use these channels to promote members’ interests
Engage in both proactive and reactive advocacy for their members’ benefit
Help prevent frequent changes to the business- related legal and regulatory frameworks

19. Thank You!