The Web 2.0 Association: A Dynamic Engagement Between Stakeholders Sharing The Same Interests And Goals (Canadian Public Procurement Council Profile)

Traditional membership models for many associations have become somewhat stagnate in that they are not effectively aligned with the emerging Web 2.0 world of dynamic engagement between stakeholders sharing the same interests and goals.

According to CPPC-CCMP President Kathleen Muretti, recognizing and responding to this changing landscape is a key tenet of her council’s value proposition.

Building on their “Together in the Public Eye” platform, the council leadership understands the unique challenges members face in a world of increased scrutiny and dynamic change.  For this reason, organizations such as Muretti’s need to be more than a mere collection of names in which member count alone is the defining measurement of success.  To be effective, the modern day council (or association, institute) needs to create and facilitate an environment in which an “active” and “timely” collaboration of ideas and ideals are the cornerstone of a relevant program of service.

In fact Muretti, who stated in a recent e-mail that she “accepted the challenge of President, because I saw this tremendous opportunity” to build a model based on the power of the Web 2.0 platform, is one of the first to both embrace and, fully comprehend the tremendous potential of early adoption.

Web 2.0 and beyond?

As outlined in an overview of my latest seminar, “Social Networking and the Procurement Professional of the Future,” I express surprise that very few supply chain professionals know about Social Networking.  Although there is a periphery understanding through mainstream brands such as Facebook, only 10% of my audiences are familiar with the term “Social Network.”  And an even smaller percent, understands the impact that Social Networks can and do have on their profession both individually and collectively.

The fact that Social Networks initiate, develop and will ultimately define relationships in the 21^st century means that this emerging “medium” will play an important role in effective supply chain practice.  As a result it is imperative that associations take the lead in terms of educating and empowering the supply chain professional to both compete and excel in an increasingly globalized marketplace.

And in a world of increased expectations, social technologies or platforms (nee Web 2.0) are refelctive of the speed by which critical information or knowledge is exchanged and made available on a mass populace basis. 

However, one of the main keys to adoption are the filters that are used at the point of entry to differentiate opinion from viable subject matter.  And this is where Web 2.0 serves as the starting point for the dynamic exchange of tangible ideas and ultimately the business processes that will define supply chain practice for the next 25 years and beyond.

In the latter instance, and extending beyond the semantic elements of the soon to be “released” Web 3.0, the Web 4.0 platform is an intelligent engagement mechanism that is capable of assembling and managing seemingly disparate streams of information (relational strands) into a collective outcome that has real-world applicability.  And it is in this real-world applicability that the greatest value from a supply chain perspective can be achieved.

Think of it this way, what are the common element(s) linking the different strands represented by Kodak’s digital imaging marketing strategy, Higher Education supplier engagement programs and the development of regionalized (supply) clusters?  Web 2.0 in its present form as an “important” entry point to Social Networking has not been structured to address this kind of query.   And Web 3.0, which relies extensively on semantics or the correlation of common words, has proven to be unreliable in terms of providing accurate insights.  Only Web 4.0 will be able to identify the relevancy of the link in a matter of seconds, and how the collective outcome of these individual elements will impact your organization’s supply chain practice.

Given the evolution of supply chain capability and professional competency through the Web 4.0 platform, the move by CPPC-CCMP to embrace Web 2.0 as a critical resource is not only timely, but also essential to maintaining it’s memberships’ ability to continue making a meaningful contribution in the arena of public sector procurement.

(NOTE: Wanting to maintain my focus on the value proposition of the CPPC-CCMP organization, I have only provided a high level overview of Web 2.0 and the subsequent Web 3.0 and Web 4.0 platforms.  If you would like to delve deeper into this subject matter, please refer to the Web References links that have been provided at the conclusion of this post.)

Why CPPC-CCMP?

Like the old saying (or whatever variation of the same you prefer), “repetition is the key to learning.”  In this instance, it is also the key to restating my commitment to neutrality.  An important tenet of the sponsorship program and profiles such as today’s is that I am not perceived as being a voice piece for the sponsor – in this case the CPPC-CCMP.  In assessing the viability of their value proposition, it will be up to you to determine how they may be of service.  In this regard, I will direct you to the Links To Our Sponsors section of the PI Blog to investigate the CPPC-CCMP perspective in greater detail, and at your own convenience.

With this simple “housekeeping” matter out of the way, what I am inclined to offer you is my personal opinion.  Specifically, my take on the CPPC-CCMP proactive move to adopt a Web 2.0 approach as a means of delivering value to its membership or Knowledge Community.  Note the emphasis on Community.

Not that long ago in another post I made reference to Sir Francis Bacon, and his famous quote “knowledge is power.”  Under traditional membership models, associations use the web as a means of providing information without quantifying or for that matter understanding its true impact at the individual member level.  This isn’t an indictment of the old system, for associations have made positive contributions to business as well as society as a whole.  What I am saying however is that the sustainable value of the current engagement mechanisms in a highly competitive, globalized market have become somewhat siloed in their relevancy.  For this reason, many associations are struggling with either an ambivelent and somewhat lethargic membership.  The manifestation of which is a trend towards declining levels of participation.  

Some organizations are attempting to rekindle the flame of interest through the introduction of new course materials in an effort to raise the profile of their professional designations.  (Refer to the link, “Supply Chain Management Certificate/Course USA/CANADA” for more information on the subject of certification.)

Others are attempting to build a media profile of a herculean magnitude, by clanging the bells of change through a broadened mandate.

In the end however, member or community-centric approaches in which the benefits of association on both an individual as well as collective basis are the focal point for change, will ultimately carry the day.  And Kathleen Muretti’s CPPC-CCMP vision in this regard, is also the strength of her program.

Web Resources:

LinkedIn Question (What will be the impact, if any, of social networking in the enterprise?): http://www.linkedin.com/answers/management/organizational-development/MGM_ODV/284891-933031

Social Networking and the Purchasing Professional of the Future: https://procureinsights.wordpress.com/?s=Social+Networking+and+the+Purchasing+Professional+of+the+Future+  

Supply Chain Management Certificate/Course USA/CANADA: https://procureinsights.wordpress.com/2008/07/04/supply-chain-management-certificatecourse-usacanada/

Use the following link to learn more about our Sponsorship Program; https://procureinsights.wordpress.com/pi-sponsorship-opportunities/

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