tions. Recognition programs may not occur if management deems
that there is no one worthy of the award. Product introduction
spectaculars may or may not be held, depending on whether or not
there are products innovative enough to herald their arrival with
great fanfare before employees and buyers. The discretionary lever-
age of management to schedule an event, not schedule an event,
or even cancel a scheduled one is paramount in most corporate
meetings. The exception may be an annual shareholders’ meeting
required by corporate mandate.
On the other hand, if you are marketing association meetings,
you will find the schedule much more mandatory and predictable.
Association bylaws normally require an annual membership con-
vention, perhaps two or three board and leadership meetings, and
even a midyear leadership conference. Committees permeate as-
sociations, and they all meet. These events are normally held at
similar times of the year and with somewhat constant attendance
profiles. The point is that they are stipulated by organizational
doctrine and are rarely canceled.
The sensitivity to economic conditions also varies between
corporate and association events. In the economic decline in the
United States during the 1980s, for example, the number of cor-
porate events declined as well. Corporate profits were down, re-
search and development for new products were curbed, and in-
centives for sales quotas were diminished. The market for corporate
meetings is greatest in economic good times and reduced in times
of recession. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the
resulting economic downturn are stark examples of the negative
impact on the events industry.
Comparatively, association events often grow in number and
scope when economic times are tough. The reason? Remember
that corporations are “for-profit” entities: The bottom line means
everything. But associations are “not-for-profit” institutions, where
helping members solve problems is the preeminent reason for ex-
isting. People join associations to further their careers, improve
their professional or business fortunes, and learn to survive eco-
nomic and political misfortunes. In other words, there is comfort
in the company of others when through association interaction
one can find commiseration and empathetic colleagues in the face
of threats. Therefore, it is not unusual to find greater marketing op-
portunities for association events in bad times than in good times
in which the members don’t feel so urgent a need to congregate,
Defining the Differences 131