Industry trade group

An industry trade group, also known as a trade association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry. An industry association participates in public relations activities such as advertising, education, political donations, lobbying and publishing, but its main focus is collaboration between companies, or standardization. Associations may offer other services, such as producing conferences, networking or charitable events or offering classes or educational materials. Many associations are non-profit organizations governed by bylaws and directed by officers who are also members.

In countries with a social market economy the role of industry trade groups is often taken by employers' organizations which also have a role in the social dialogue.

Political influence

One of the primary purposes of trade groups, particularly in the United States and to a similar but lesser extent elsewhere, is to attempt to influence public policy in a direction favorable to the group's members. This can take the form of contributions to the campaigns of political candidates and parties through Political Action Committees (PACs); contributions to "issue" campaigns not tied to a candidate or party; and lobbying legislators to support or oppose particular legislation. In addition, trade groups attempt to influence the activities of regulatory bodies. Fact|date=June 2008

While direct contributions by PACs to candidates are required to be disclosed to the Federal Election Commission (or state and local election overseers) and are public information, and there are registration requirements for lobbyists, it can sometimes be difficult to trace the funding for issue and non-electoral campaigns. Fact|date=June 2008

Advertising

Industry trade groups sometimes produce advertisements, just as normal corporations do. However, whereas typical advertisements are for a specific corporate product, such as a specific brand of cheese or toilet paper, Industry trade groups advertisements generally are targeted to promote the views of an entire industry.

Below are two different general types of advertising used by these groups.

=Ads to improve industry

These ads mention only the industries products as a whole, painting them in a positive light in order to have the public form positive associations with that industry and its products. For example, in the USA the advertising campaign "Beef, it's what's for dinner" is used by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association to promote a positive image of beef in the public consciousness.

Ads to shape opinion on a specific issue

These are adverts targeted at specific issues. For example, in the USA in the early 2000s the MPAA began running advertisements before films that advocate against movie piracy over the Internet.

Partial list of worldwide industry trade groups

* Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
* Association of International Automobile Manufacturers
* Australian Booksellers Association
* CINOA (Confédération Internationale des Négociants en Oeuvres d'Art, or International Confederation of Traders in Works of Art)
* [http://www.ibnma.org International Blogging and New Media Association]
* International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations
* [http://www.nachi.org International Association of Certified Home Inspectors]
* International Council of Shopping Centers
* NAMM (International Music Products Association)
* ISLA (International Securities Lending Association)
* International Sleep Products Association
* [http://www.NRMCA.org National Ready Mixed Concrete Association]
* National Retail Federation
* North-American Interfraternity Conference
* Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
* Tire Industry Association
* World Coal Institute
* World Nuclear Association
* Worldwide ERC (Employee Relocation Council)International Sign Association (ISA)
* SIA Security Industry Association

List of U.S. national industry trade groups

There are over 7,600 national trade associations in the United States, with a large number (approximately 2,000) headquartered in the Washington, DC area. ["National Trade and Professional Associations" (2008), 43rd ed., ISBN 978 1-880873-56-4] There are also many trade associations at the state and local levels. [http://www.nachi.org International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, Inc.] [http://www.nrla.org] [Northeastern Retail Lumber Association, Inc.] [http://www.nfma.info] [National Flea Market Association, Inc.] [http://www.tennesseefleamarketassociation.org] [Tennessee Flea Market Association, Inc.]

List of European industry trade groups

* Banking Federation of the European Union
* Centre for European Policy Studies
* CIAA
* EFPIA
* EUBINGO
* EuroCommerce
* Eurolectric
* EUROMAT
* European Brands Association
* European Chemical Industry Council
* European Policy Centre
* Federation of the Electronics Industry
* Petcore
* PLASA
* UEAPME
* UNICE

List of East Asian industry trade groups

* Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association
* Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association

List of Indian industry trade groups

* All India Biotech Association
* Indian Industries Association

List of Canadian industry trade groups

* Aerospace Industries Association of Canada
* Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries
* Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
* Canadian Chemical Producers' Association
* Canadian Construction Association
* Canadian Nuclear Association
* Canadian Meat Council
* Canadian Plastics Industry Association
* Canadian Printing Industries Association
* Canadian Recording Industry Association
* Canadian Solar Industries Association
* Cannabis Trade Association
* Cement Association of Canada
* Coal Association of Canada
* Geomatics Industry Association of Canada
* [http://www.nachi.org InterNACHI: International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, Inc.]
* Mining Association of Canada
* Tourism Industry Association of Canada

List of UK industry trade groups

Note: the term "industry trade group" is very little used in British English. Alternative terms used in the UK include trade association and employer association.
* Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry
* British Compressed Air Society
* Institute of Exterior Cleaners
* National Federation of Builders
* Nuclear Industry Association
* Orthodontic Technicians Association

List of Italian industry trade groups

* AITech-Assinform

List of copyright trade groups

* The RIAA represents the recording industry in the United States.
* The MPAA represents the film industry in the United States.

Sometimes the shorthand **AA is used to refer to both the RIAA and the MPAA. On April 1, 2006, John T. Haller parodied the two organizations on a joke website announcing their fictional merger, introducing another abbreviation for the fictional combined entity: "MAFIAA" (Music And Film Industry Association of America, a satirical reference to The Mafia). [ [http://www.mafiaa.org/ MAFIAA - Music And Film Industry Association of America ] ]

* BSA, the "Business Software Alliance", protects the intellectual property of software developers.
* ESA, the "Entertainment Software Association", protects the intellectual property of game developers.
* IFPI, the "International Federation of Phonogram and Videogram Producers" ( [http://www.ifpi.org/ website] ). IFPI represents the recording industry worldwide with over 1450 members in 75 countries and affiliated industry associations in 48 countries. The IFPI works in partnership with similar national organizations, which are [http://www.ifpi.org/site-content/directory/national_groups.html listed on the site] . IFPI are with the RIAA.
* BPI, the "British Phonographic Industry" ( [http://www.bpi.co.uk website] ) is the UK music industry association. They founded the BRIT Awards, and give Gold, Silver and Platinum disks for UK-based sales. While they also try to prevent and punish copyright infringement, their efforts are more subdued than those of the RIAA's.
* FACT, the "Federation Against Copyright Theft" ( [http://www.fact-uk.org.uk/ website] ) is the main UK anti-copyright infringement organization, though it mainly deals with copyright infringement relating to films.
* CRIA, the "Canadian Recording Industry Association" ( [http://www.cria.ca/ website] ) is the non-profit trade organization representing Canadian companies that create, manufacture and market sound recordings.
* ARIA, the "Australian Recording Industry Association" ( [http://www.aria.com.au/ website] ) is the organization which oversees the collection, administration and distribution of music licenses and royalties in Australia.
* RIANZ, the "Recording Industry Association of New Zealand", is the non-profit trade association for producers and artists in New Zealand.
* SGAE, the "General society of Authors and Publishers" in Spain.
* JASRAC, the "Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers" in Japan.
* RIAJ, the "Recording industries Association of Japan".
* ROMS, the "Russian Organization on Collective Management of Rights of Authors and Other Rightholders in Multimedia, Digital Networks & Visual Arts" in Russia.
* AMPROFON, the "Mexican association of Producers of Phonograms and Videograms".
* AVPAS, "Anti Video Piracy Association of Singapore" for anime.
* GEMA (Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs- und mechanische Vervielfältigungsrechte) in Germany

References

ee also

*Keiretsu

Literature

*Garrelts, Frank: "Märkte im Umbruch - Kooperationen als Chance im Handel" ("Markets on the move - trade associations as a business opportunity"), München: Beck 1998, ISBN 3-406-43993-4
abstract in English available [http://www.itca.eu/_obj/2CE6FF7C-2D2D-445A-AE6C-3EDB817404B5/outline/Markets-on-the-move.pdf here]