Survey on attitudes toward the role, performance and value of the professional society

1. Attitudes to the role of the professional society |
© 2016 Elsevier. All rights reserved.
Survey on attitudes to the role, performance
and value of the professional society
July 2016

2. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 2
Section
Objectives, Methodology and Sample
1. Relevance of professional societies in today’s market
2. Performance in advocacy, information and interaction activities
3. Value Proposition
Table of Contents

3. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 3
Understand the relevance of societies in today’s market
Evaluate societies role and performance in 1) advocacy, 2)
information & education and 3) interaction & visibility activities
Appraise societies value proposition and their ability to
communicate that proposition
Objectives
1
2
3
N.B: the intention of this survey is to provide an aggregated view of societies. It is
acknowledged that the performance of individual societies will vary and may not
reflect the aggregated view.

4. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 4
Methodology
 Methodology Online survey
 Targets Researchers and Practitioners
(including physicians and engineers)
 Sample
89,896 researchers and practitioners were
randomly selected for this study
(Researchers and practitioners were randomly selected from several sources
including: authors who had published across 20,000 journals in 2014 and 2015,
and users of health journals/ tools including PracticeUpdate)
 Responses
2,143 surveys in total. 2.4% response rate
(quotas were used to ensure responses were representative
of the market). Error margin is 1.8% at 90% confidence
levels

5. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 5
Section Summary: Relevance of Professional Societies in Today’s Market
Societies continue to be viewed as relevant, though need to do more if they
want to appeal to all members of their communities, esp. younger
members.
Societies are relevant and the vast majority of respondents intend to renew their
membership.1
Nearly half see societies as more relevant today than previously; however, there
is a large minority, over a third, who believe relevancy has decreased.2
The joining process for becoming a member of a professional society is
straightforward.3
The perception that societies are not ‘inclusive’ to all will impact the ability to
recruit new members.5
1 out of 3 feel societies are not accessible/available to all levels of their
community, more of those under 36 believe this to be the case.4

6. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 6
Professional Societies Membership
We can expect societies to continue to thrive (at least) in the near future. Societies are
very effective at retaining current members (willingness to renew).
84%
of respondents are members of
a professional society
On average each society
member has
2.9
professional society
memberships
(80% are members of 2 or more
societies)
of the current society members
will definitely/ probably renew their
membership
Sample: All respondents (n=2,143)
Q. Are you currently a member of a society linked to your work or research? Q: How many
societies are you a member of? Q: How likely are you to continue being a member of your
society next year?
92%
Members Willingness to
Renew Membership

7. Attitudes to the role of the professional society |
Sample: All respondents, excluding “don’t know/unsure” (n=2,110)
Q. How relevant are societies to you in your profession?
7
Professional Societies Relevance
The vast majority believe professional societies are relevant today...
89%
5%
consider societies
somewhat irrelevant or not
relevant at all
…are Professional Societies Relevant?
6%
consider that societies are
neither relevant nor
irrelevant
consider societies
very/somewhat
relevant
…has the relevance changed over time?
Societies are more
relevant today than
they used to be
No change in the
relevance of
societies over time
Societies are less
relevant today than
they used to be
46% 19% 35%

8. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 8
Professional Societies Relevance Over Time
…and nearly half see societies as more relevant today; however, a third believe they
are less relevant - this is higher in Europe and North America.
Sample: All respondents, excluding “don’t know/unsure” (n=1,910)
Q. Do you feel that the relevance of societies has changed over time?
…has the relevance changed over time?
Societies are more
relevant today than
they used to be
No change in the
relevance of
societies over time
Societies are less
relevant today than
they used to be
46% 19% 35%
89%
5%
consider societies
somewhat irrelevant or not
relevant at all
…are Professional Societies Relevant?
6%
consider that societies are
neither relevant nor
irrelevant
consider societies
very/somewhat
relevant

9. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 9
Professional Societies Joining Process
Few believe there are barriers to joining, most believe the joining process is
straightforward.
Sample: All society members, excluding “don’t know/unsure” (n=1,734)
Q. Do you feel that your society has a simple joining process?
83%
6%
strongly disagree or
disagree that the joining
process is simple
11%
neither agree nor
disagree that the joining
process is simple
strongly agree or
agree that joining a
society is simple
…your Society has a simple joining process? …is your Society Accessible/ Available to All ?
32% 68%
NO. I don’t feel
my society is
accessible/
available to all
levels of my
community
YES. I feel my
society is
accessible/
available to all
levels of my
community

10. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 10
Professional Societies Accessibility/Availability
However, 1 out of 3 feel societies are not accessible/available to all levels of their
community, more of those aged under 36 believe this to be the case (41%).
Sample: All society members, excluding “don’t know/unsure” (n=1,396)
Q: Do you feel that your society is accessible/available to all levels of your
community?
…is your Society Accessible/ Available to All ?
32% 68%
NO. I don’t feel
my society is
accessible/
available to all
levels of my
community
YES. I feel my
society is
accessible/
available to all
levels of my
community
83%
6%
strongly disagree or
disagree that the joining
process is simple
11%
neither agree nor
disagree that the joining
process is simple
strongly agree or
agree that joining a
society is simple
…your Society has a simple joining process?

11. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 11
Societies must create an atmosphere of inclusion. Right
now Societies seem to be focused on prestige, and "points
of excellence". This is often due to lack of funds, but the
result is wide-spread exclusion.
North America, Physical Sciences, 36 to 55 years old
“
A society journal publication process might become an
expression of scientific power of leading individualities in
the field. Societies functioning is no more directed toward
its members, but for the promotion and protection of some
leading individuals point of view.
Europe, Social Sciences, under 36 years old
“
Voice of Society Members
Inclusion

12. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 12
Section Summary: Performance in Advocacy, Information and Interaction
Activities
Providing good online communities for networking/collaboration and
actively helping members to increase their visibility are important areas for
improvement.
Societies perform below expectation for advocacy activities. Advice for shaping
government policy is the most important area for improvement within this topic.
1
Information & education activities are considered important and performance is
good, specifically for keeping members updated and providing access to
journals.
2
Enabling access to online networking platforms and helping members increase
their visibility in the community is one of the most critical areas to address.
3
Societies need to fulfil the unmet needs of the youngest generation in order to
continue to be successful. Key is providing tools/platforms that enable virtual
interaction for society members.
4

13. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 13
Top line Results
Societies performance was evaluated in 3 major topics.
ImportanceoftheSocietyActivities
Low
High
HighSatisfaction with the Society Activities
WINNING
(High Importance and Low Satisfaction)
UNDER SUPPORTED
(Low Importance and High Satisfaction)
OVER ACHIEVING
(Low Importance and Low Satisfaction)
AT RISK
Information &
Education Activities
Interaction & Visibility
Activities
Advocacy
(High Importance and High Satisfaction)

14. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 14
Section Summary: Value Proposition
Societies need to improve their value proposition using digital forms of
communication.
Society members consider the value for money of their membership to
be fairly low, and view society communications at demonstrating their
value as needing improvement.
1
The future of society communication with the public, society members
and between society members is expected to be largely digital.2
Emails/alerts and online publications are considered the most suitable
form of electronic communication. A large minority also consider
‘society websites’ as a suitable means of communication across most
activities.
3

15. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 15
Societies Members’ Perception of Value for Money
Societies are relatively low scoring for ‘value for money’, particularly amongst mid-
career professionals and those in Europe.
Sample: All society members, excluding “don’t know/unsure” (n=1,695)
Q. To what extend do you agree that your society provides good value for
money?
55%
16%
strongly disagree or
disagree societies provide
good value for money
29%
neither agree nor disagree
that societies provide good
value for money
Agree/strongly
agree that societies
provide good value
for money
…is your ‘Society Good Value for Money’? …how effective are societies at
communicating their value?
57%
10%
consider the value
communication to be poor
34%
consider the value
communication to be
average
consider the value
communication to be
Good or Excellent

16. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 16
Societies Effectiveness in Communicating their Value
…improving the value proposition is key, as is developing communications that focus
on demonstrating the value that societies provide for fees charged.
Sample: All society members, excluding “don’t know/unsure”(n=1,754)
Q. How effective have the societies in your field been at communicating their
value (e.g. demonstrating the benefits of being a member)?
…how effective are societies at
communicating their value?
57%
10%
consider the value
communication to be poor
34%
consider the value
communication to be
average
consider the value
communication to be
Good or Excellent
55%
16%
strongly disagree or
disagree societies provide
good value for money
29%
neither agree nor disagree
that societies provide good
value for money
Agree/strongly
agree that societies
provide good value
for money
…is your ‘Society Good Value for Money’?

17. Attitudes to the role of the professional society | 17
Most Suitable Electronic Communications
Sample: All respondents who selected electronic communications in each activity.
Q. Please could you specify which method(s) of delivery you believe are most suitable for each activity?
Emails/Alerts
Online Publications
Social Media
Society Website
No preference
n=1,198 n=1,146 n=1,131 n=1,559 n=1,155
53%
60%
47%
39%
3%
68%
54%
22%
36%
3%
59%
68%
13%
37%
4%
75%
61%
15%
29%
2%
35%
83%
11%
33%
3%
Across key activities, emails/alerts and online publications are considered the most suitable
means of electronic communication. A large minority also consider ‘society websites’ suitable
across all activities.
Increasing
public
awareness
Enabling
collaboration
Conducting
CPD
Informing me of
the latest
advances
Presenting my
research
findings