A report to the Trade Association Forum.
Alastair Macdonald – March 2001.
The Business of Representation is a major report sponsored jointly by the Trade Association Forum and the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) which brings up to date the concept of the Model Trade Association.
The DTI Best Practice Guide for the Model Trade Association has had a significant impact on the development of trade associations but the environment in which trade associations operate has changed significantly since it was first published in 1996.
Structural changes in the global economy, the development of e-business and increased competitive pressures on companies demand sharper focus and greater professionalism from trade associations.
The Business of Representation provides an analysis of the current position of trade associations with a number of challenging conclusions for trade associations, for government and in particular for business.
Alastair Macdonald was Director General of Industry at the DTI until 2000 and has long experience of trade associations. He worked for many years as a civil servant in economic Departments and was previously a journalist on the Financial Times. In 1971 – 72 he was Secretary to the Lord Devlin’s Inquiry into Industrial and Commercial Representation.
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