| Plexus Consulting Group | Success Stories | ||
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National Association of Manufacturers |
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Situation The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) was founded 100 years ago and has been the preeminent voice for manufacturers in the United States ever since. In recent years, however, NAM has seen the number and size of its large, blue chip corporate members stagnate. NAM’s management noted that the fastest growing segment of the economy was small and medium-sized manufacturers and that those trade associations that had targeted this market niche were benefiting from its growth to make inroads into NAM’s dominance as a government relations powerhouse. NAM’s leadership knew that if it wanted to retain its leadership, the organization would have to attract more small and medium-sized manufacturers and that in order to do this, they would have to institute a host of changes. After decades of representing the largest manufacturers, NAM would need to bring its priorities in line with the needs and perceptions of smaller manufacturers. The NAM leadership realized that to attract these companies, the organization would need to change its image, its membership programs, and even its governance and staffing structure. Action Plexus implemented the following six-phase program to assist NAM: Phase One (Quantitative information gathering): Working with the NAM steering committee, Plexus designed and distributed a written survey to members and non-members across the country. The survey was designed to gauge the appearance and the reality of NAM’s programs and services for small and medium-sized manufacturers. It also sought a better understanding of the sector itself, both members and non-members, by seeking to determine company needs and concerns as well as the best ways for NAM to communicate with them. Phase Two (Qualitative information gathering): Plexus designed and carried out one-on-one, anonymous interviews with three audiences: the print news media, NAM staff, and key executives from NAM’s small and medium-sized members. Interviewers sought to flesh out the problems and opportunities that would face NAM in carrying out changes needed to attract smaller members. Phase Three (Focus group sessions): Plexus Consulting designed and conducted four focus group session across the country - two for current NAM members and two for non-members. These sessions were held to broaden understanding of some of the issues raised in the quantitative survey. Plexus was able to float some trial balloons to analyze what program and structural changes might be most successful. Phase Four (Strategic planning): Using all the results from the previous three phases, Plexus Consulting led the NAM steering committee through a two-day strategic planning session. This resulted in a detailed plan of action with well-defined goals and strategies that had received the input and approval of every member of the steering committee. Phase Five (Board and staff presentations): Following the strategic planning session, Plexus immediately organized presentations to garner Board and staff concurrence with the plan of action. Phase Six (Follow-up monitoring of progress): One year after the start of the program, Plexus interviewed NAM staff responsible for the program’s implementation to ascertain what additional changes might be necessary. Results The concrete culmination of the six-phase Plexus program was a practical action plan which had the approval of NAM Board and staff. Some of the NAM programs designed for small and medium-sized manufacturers, and implemented on the basis of this action plan, have won prizes for excellence. NAM is meeting its membership targets for this segment of the economy. It has also gathered evidence of a new appreciation among its smaller members for the efforts that the organization is making on their behalf. |
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