Domestic Management Societies and Associations

Management societies and associations exist to promote greater professionalism within the field and provide educational opportunities for their members. Many societies and associations exist within the field of management. Some have members primarily from academia; others have members who are primarily practitioners; while still others have both. Although almost all associations within the field of management have some international members, the focus of the following paragraphs is on those societies and associations whose membership is predominantly in the United States.

The management associations discussed in this article all have similar organization structures and activities:

• All sponsor a variety of useful professional services available to their members.
• Most have local chapters that are affiliated with the national organization.
• Most have at least one and sometimes several conferences each year and sponsor publications designed to disseminate management research findings or to communicate helpful information to management practitioners.
• Some offer professional certification programs to allow members to demonstrate their competence within their area of specialty.

ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT

The Academy of Management (AOM) is the preeminent professional organization for those involved or interested in management research and education in the United States. It was founded in 1936, and its membership consisted of more than 18,000 individuals from 102 nations as of 2008. Most of its members are college professors teaching within the field of management or related disciplines. Most academy members have doctoral degrees in management or related disciplines. The academy also has some practitioner members. Although the academy has members from around the world, the overwhelming majority of its membership is in the United States.

AOM sponsors an annual conference each August. At this meeting, educational and professional development programs are held and scholarly research papers are presented and discussed. Other activities at the annual meeting include meetings of various divisions and interest groups and a job placement service that allows universities to recruit for qualified applicants to fill open faculty positions in management and related fields.

AOM publishes scholarly journals and a newsletter. The Academy of Management Journal (AMJ) features empirical papers, and the Academy of Management Review (AMR) features theoretical papers. The Academy of Management Executive (AME) publishes applied articles related to management practice and has a substantial readership among practitioners. There is also the Academy of Management Learning and Education (AMLE). Additionally, the association publishes an annual meeting Best Papers Proceedings CD. The AOM started publishing the Academy of Management Annals in 2007. This new book series will be published annually.

AOM has a variety of divisions and interest groups that allow members with common interests to interact more closely. Some of these divisions include Business Policy & Strategy, Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior, Operations Management, Social Issues in Management, Entrepreneurship, and Management History.

Within AOM, there are several associated organizations, including the Southern Management Association, the Eastern Academy of Management, the Southwest Academy of Management, the Midwest Academy of Management, and the Western Academy of Management. Each of these regional associations holds annual meetings of its own, with activities that are similar to those that take place at the national meeting of the academy. Many management scholars also hold memberships in one or more of these regional associations.

AOM has a significant presence online (http://www.aomonline.org). The site has information of interest to management scholars and researchers, news about upcoming conferences, and links to related divisions and groups.

AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

The American Management Association (AMA) is a large, nonprofit educational association that seeks to develop organizational effectiveness. AMA has programs related to many areas of management practice, including general and administrative services, strategic management, human resources, information systems, manufacturing, purchasing, research and development, and sales and marketing. Founded in 1923, AMA has about 25,000 members, and its newsletters are delivered to 80,000 members and customers. Membership consists mainly of management practitioners based in the United States, although it attracts members from 89 countries around the world.

AMA publishes about 80 business-related books each year. It also publishes several periodicals related to management, including Management Review, The Take-Charge Assistant, Organizational Dynamics, and HR Focus. It also offers members and customers six different e-newsletters and launched The Thinker Series to provide inspiration to drive organizational growth.

The association holds an annual conference and sponsors numerous seminars, workshops, and forums on various management-related topics. It also offers podcasts and on-demand webcasts on the AMA Web site (http://www.amanet.org), which provides details about its programs, conferences, and seminars, as well as other useful information relevant to the practicing manager.

SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), founded in 1948, is the largest professional association in its field. SHRM has 225,000 individual members in more than 125 countries. The association has a network of more than 575 affiliated chapters in the United States, and offices in China and India. Its members belong to local professional chapters or college and university student chapters.

SHRM has several professional publications, most of which are free with membership in the organization. Its premiere publication is the monthly HR Magazine. HR News, Workplace Visions, and Mosaics are primarily of interest to practitioners. HRM Journal features academic

research of interest to scholars in the field. Additionally, SHRM offers members several newsletters more targeted to specific audiences that are delivered via email.

SHRM sponsors professional development and certification programs. Professional development activities include seminars and certificate programs, portfolio subscriptions, and certification preparation learning modules. A certification program is administered through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). Certification is available at three levels: Professional in Human Resources (PHR), Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), and Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR). Certification requires several years of experience in an exempt HR position and the successful completion of a certification examination, which is offered to those wishing to take the test during two two-month periods during the year.

SHRM funds human resources management academic research through its Foundation. It also conducts an annual HR salary survey.

The society holds an annual conference and exposition, an employment law and legislative conference, a leadership conference, a strategy conference, and a diversity conference.

SHRM's Web site (http://www.shrm.org) contains a wide variety of resources for the HR professional, including an information center, online publications, and a placement area. Although some of the internet services are available to the public, most are restricted to SHRM members.

APICS: THE ASSOCIATION FOR OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

APICS: The Association for Operations Management (formerly Association for Production and Inventory Control) is a professional organization for those involved or interested in operations management, and production and inventory management. It provides professional certifications, educational programs, and publications. Founded in 1957, APICS has practitioner, academic, and student members. There are more than 43,000 individuals from 15,000 companies worldwide from nearly all industries. APICS membership is concentrated in the United States.

APICS offers member discounts on educational materials, programs, and certification exam and review material. The organization also offers numerous national workshops and in-house training programs, as well as opportunities for online resources, local training, and networking. APICS offers members its award-winning publication, APICS Magazine.

APICS has three certification programs for professionals in the field: Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM), Certified in Integrated Resource Management (CIRM), and Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP). CPIM certification was developed in 1973 to provide a means for individuals to assess their knowledge of production and inventory management relative to a common core of knowledge. CIRM certification was developed in 1991 and is designed to assess cross-functional knowledge of interrelated functions within an organization. First offered in 2008, the CSCP was developed for individuals seeking in-depth knowledge and understanding of their entire supply chain. APICS created it to educate supply chain managers with changing requirements of educational needs in the field of supply chain management.

APICS holds an annual conference that allows members to learn about the latest management and manufacturing techniques. It also sponsors various research activities, including an undergraduate and graduate paper competition through its Educational and Research Foundation.

The APICS Web site (http://www.apics.org) contains information about its services and the field.

WORLD AT WORK

Founded in 1955, WorldatWork (formerly the American Compensation Association) is a professional organization for those involved or interested in the management of employee compensation and benefits policies and procedures. WorldatWork provides information, training, research support, and networking opportunities to its 30,000 members and customers in 75 countries. Specific benefits of membership include discounts on Worldat-Work educational and training programs, career placement and networking opportunities, and updates in the field through various publications.

WorldatWork offers various educational and professional training programs. Seminars provide training in all areas of compensation and benefits management. In-house training programs allow organizations to sponsor training for their employees on-site.

WorldatWork sponsors a certification program that enables members to increase their credibility as compensation and benefits management professionals. Certification is available along three tracks: Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), Certified Benefits Professional (CBP), and the Work-Life Certified Professional (WLCP).

WorldatWork holds an annual conference and sponsors various research activities at leading U.S. universities. It publishes several journals and newsletters, including Workspan and WorldatWork Journal. Its highest visibility online newsletter is called Workspan Weekly.

WorldatWork also attempts to increase linkages between practitioners and academia through its Academic Partnership Network. This concept is designed to foster increased communication between practitioners and academics.

WorldatWork's Web site (http://www.worldatwork.org) includes information resources for the compensation and benefits professional.

INSTITUTE FOR SUPPLY MANAGEMENT

The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) is a professional association designed to advance the purchasing and supply management profession. Founded in 1915, its membership consists of more than 40,000 supply management professionals, mostly in the United States. To be eligible for membership, a person must be involved in the purchasing or materials process, be employed by an affiliated association, or be a full-time professor or administrator at a college or university whose academic responsibility includes purchasing or material management courses.

ISM offers a variety of educational and development programs and products. Conferences, seminars, and other educational activities allow purchasing and material managers to expand their professional skills.

The ISM flagship publication is Inside Supply Management. Blackwell Publishing puts out The Journal of Supply Chain Management on behalf of the ISM. The association also develops a number of online newsletters including Supply Line 2055: Certification Update, Just in ETime, and ISM eDigest: Chemicals Electronic Newsletter, which ISM creates with its ISM Chemical Group.

ISM sponsors three certification programs: the Certified Purchasing Manager, which allows purchasing or materials management professionals to demonstrate their mastery of the requirements of the field; and the Accredited Purchasing Practitioner, designed primarily for entry-level buyers engaged in the operational side of purchasing and materials management. The Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) program was first offered in 2008. It addresses the additional education, skills, and experiences that supply managers need as the professional continues to evolve in the twenty-first century.

ISM provides information about its conferences, seminars, professional forums, products, and other information of interest to the purchasing and materials management professional on its Web site at (http://www.ism.ws).

SEE ALSO International Management Societies and Associations; Management and Executive Development