ISM Allowing Salespeople To Join: What's Your Vote?
The worst recession in decades. Professionals networking on sites like LinkedIn rather than in person. New, strong competition in the education market.
These are tough times for traditional professional associations. Desperate times are calling for desperate measures. This sentiment has never been more evident than it was when the remaining members of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) received a ballot in the mail this week.
This ballot proposes that ISM do away with its long-standing restriction that prevents "persons who are primarily engaged in sales activity" from becoming ISM members. Apparently, if a majority of voters accept this proposal, ISM will transition from an organization dedicated to serving individuals in the supply management profession to one that, much like any chamber of commerce in any town in the USA, is open to anyone.
While, online and offline, the consensus seems to be opposition to this change, it is not the emotions that count - it is the number of votes. While previous proxies sent to members - such as those for electing the board of directors - didn't seem to really make a difference in the outcome of the decision, this particular proxy seems to have a potentially dramatic impact on the future of ISM.
So, if you are an ISM member: Are you voting? If no, why wouldn't you? If yes, are you voting for or against and why?
To Your Career,
Charles Dominick, SPSM
President & Chief Procurement Officer
Next Level Purchasing, Inc.
Struggling To Have A Rewarding Purchasing Career?
Earn Your SPSM® Certification Online At
http://www.NextLevelPurchasing.com
posted by Charles Dominick, SPSM @ 9:51 AM
3 comments
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3 Comments:
Just a question...how many members does ISM have now? A few years back I remember about 44K people.
Dick Locke
Dick,
I obviously cannot speak on behalf of ISM. But I seem to remember in the early 2000's that their membership was around 50,000. We recently were solicited for advertising by their vendor, who indicated a membership of "nearly 40,000," which, to me, indicates a drop of close to a third in that time span.
Regarding ISM membership...
Here's what their web site says:
"membership base includes more than 40,000 supply management professionals"
Notice they didn't say "We have more than 40,000 members." My wordsmithery detector went off..
Also in the "say what?" category is their sixth strategic imperative:
" ISM is organized to be flexible and responsive to achieve excellence and to promote organizational values and value."
OK it's a valuable organization. It's not above poking fun at...
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