Continual decline of ASQ - can it be saved? Nov 2019

[Sidney Vianna]

Saw this discussion in the ASQ LinkedIn channel; let's remember that, just one year ago, ASQ divested it's ownership of ANAB, but it looks like they are still hemorrhaging cash, at a fast pace. Headquarters demanding funds raised by sections and divisions. Can ASQ be saved? Built to last?

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Edited the original link to the LinkedIn discussion as, apparently, the author deleted the initial post and created another one.

 

[Watchcat]

I'm only slightly familiar with ASQ, but very interested in professional organizations. How did things get to this point?

 

[Bill Levinson]

I have seen some discontent about the member unit operating agreement. People need to remember that member leaders are volunteers (work for nothing, other than recertification credits), and threatening volunteers is not a good way to keep them.

I am not sure ASQ Headquarters can be replaced as described because it provides a lot of member services (such as, I believe, Quality Progress, Quality Press, and member service). Unused space can probably be rented out.

 

[Sidney Vianna]

How did things get to this point?

12 years ago, I summarized the problems in this post.

I haven't been a member of ASQ since 2013. I let my membership lapse.

 

[Watchcat]

summarized the problems.

Does anyone know anything about the root cause(s)?

 

[Sidney Vianna]

Does anyone know anything about the root cause(s)?

Opinions abound.

• An organization that does not know how to evolve in order to provide something that is perceived as valuable by the membership, as the context of the quality profession undergoes massive changes.
• A huge disconnect between the headquarters and the local chapters, managed by volunteers.
• The inability to attract new, young members following the boomer generation (myself included) to it’s sunset.
• Self preservation and greed of HQ "career" personnel

 

[Marc]

I dropped my membership around 2001 soon after I was invited to apply for "fellow" status (which I declined to do). I think someone back then recommended me or something. I simply saw no value in membership, and even back then my opinion of the ASQ was that "upper management" was greedy and in general sucked. My actual opinion was that it sucked back in the 1980's when I first joined. But back then I had joined a number of organizations pretty much just for connections, etc.

I see no reason to "restore" the ASQ, but for those who want to tread that path, more power to them. I think "upper management" has already left the building, so to speak (with the $$$ they personally made off of the ASQ over the years).

 

[Randy]

Antiquated mindset going the way of the Dodo, times change and they didn't keep up.

 

[Watchcat]

Opinions abound.

Don't they, though.

I have come up with a Natural Law of Organizations:

All organizations (for-profit, non-profit, government) come to the same bad end, which is serving the organization itself, rather than whatever mission they started out to serve.

This includes internal struggles over organizational money and power, as well as doing whatever it takes (mostly ka-ching) to maintain and expand the organization. Sometimes these behaviors are framed as efforts to serve the mission, but...not really.

Because this evolution happens naturally, the only way to prevent it is with a dedicated, ongoing effort. This rarely happens. Most people are oblivious to it. Those who are not, don't necessarily know what to do about it. And some of those who do, prefer to take advantage of it, rather than prevent it.

There has been a further evolution with internet, as more and more organizations exist mostly or solely as websites. Their actual mission is almost invariably ka-ching through data mining, and they seem to stay true to it. Otherwise, they don't even devolve from serving the stated mission to serving the organization. They choose a stated mission that they think will serve the organization, by attracting a lot of people to sign up/share their data.

 

[Bill Levinson]

"All organizations (for-profit, non-profit, government) come to the same bad end, which is serving the organization itself, rather than whatever mission they started out to serve. " Sounds like attention to the needs and expectations of relevant interested parties is needed.