Results from a survey of researchers and research-based professionals by publisher John Wiley & Sons, Inc. reveal the most valued benefits offered to members by scholarly societies.
When asked which aspect of society membership appeals most, 27 percent of respondents indicate that access to a peer-reviewed journal publishing scholarly research is most appealing. Another 26 percent of respondents said that continuing education and training opportunities are most valued. Many respondents indicated they joined an academic association due to the quality of research content, prestige of the organisation and networking opportunities.
But why don't members join and why do they leave a membership organisation? And, how do societies and associations add value?
Roughly 26 percent of the survey participants were not affiliated with a society during the 12-month period prior to taking the survey. Of those in the non-member group, 24 percent thought the cost was too high, 15 percent noted they had never been invited to join, while 12 percent indicated it never occurred to them to join a society. Another 12 percent did not know what associations were available in their field. This opens up a real opportunity for society marketing and communication of mission, values and benefits.
In 2014 Wiley invited 1.2 million professionals in fields that include medicine, healthcare, engineering, life sciences, social and behavioural sciences and humanities to take part in the survey. A total of 13,929 individuals completed the survey that aimed to: understand the role academic associations play in helping researchers advance their disciplines; identify unmet informational and educational needs of professionals and researchers; and determine ways for societies to increase their value and relevance.
Of the respondents, 69 percent were members of a society or association during the prior 12 months. Respondents represented four generations (Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennials), 173 countries, and a wide array of professional settings. On average respondents are 45 years of age, with 23 percent living in the US, 16 percent working in medicine, 37 percent completing a Ph.D., and 35 percent having more than 20 years of work experience. The majority of those surveyed are professionals in the fields of science, technology, engineering, medicine, the social sciences, and the humanities.
