Aligning to relationships
The key role of any association is to inform. An association of enterprises or people works towards a common goal that benefits its members and the society as a whole. Advocating issues before policy makers & regulators, influencing public opinion, educating and creating awareness are among the core roles of any association. Successful associations critically depend on the relationships they build with their internal and external audiences. Shaping public opinion and persuading people to act is no easy task. The art of persuasion requires appealing to intellect and to the interest of the audiences. For some, like industry associations, this may mean lobbying to effect policy changes and for others, like healthcare associations it may mean creating a more conducive health environment the citizenry. Public relations, or the relationships that these associations cultivate with its publics becomes an intrinsic part of any Association life-cycle. In late 2002, the Association of Hospit...