Building Toward the Future: NAPM 1992-1993 Annual Report

Author(s):

Kevin M. McWhorter
Kevin M. McWhorter, associate writer for NAPM Insights in Tempe, Arizona.

April 1994, NAPM Insights^® Vol. 5, No. 4, page 73

Strengthening the membership base and expanding the education and certification programs were key components for NAPM during the 1992-93 fiscal year.

In May 1992, the National Association of Purchasing Management, Inc., (NAPM) unveiled its strategic plan for the 1992-93 fiscal year. The strategic plan was the centerpiece for association activities throughout the year while the NAPM Vision Statement set the association's direction during this time period (September 1, 1992 through August 31, 1993).

NAPM Vision (1992-93)
The National Association of Purchasing Management strives to be recognized as the world leader in establishing and maintaining standards of excellence on all matters affecting the purchasing and materials management profession. The association, through its worldwide alliances with other international organizations, will make available its certification, educational, and management programs to further the growth of the profession.

Focus on the Future
Affirming that the strength of NAPM lies in its membership, the Board of Directors, affiliates, districts, committees, groups, and staff placed greater emphasis on serving the members. Armed with the 1992-93 Strategic Plan, the NAPM Board of Directors' actions and activities over the fiscal year reflected their belief in a strong membership base. This involved advancing the profession through educational means and ensuring that the Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.) designation is the certification of choice for purchasing professionals. Board actions included:

• An Ad Hoc Committee on Affiliate Excellence was created at the May 1993 meeting to ensure that key areas of importance at the NAPM national level are aligned with the key areas of importance at the affiliate level. The committee initiated an affiliated benchmarking program with the assistance of the Center for Advanced Purchasing Studies (CAPS).
• The Board established an Ad Hoc Committee to Evaluate Groups that is seeking to establish minimum activity levels for groups in order to maintain their group status.
• The Board approved a special membership extension of 12 months, for members of NAPM who are unemployed for six months as long as the affiliates also waive their dues.
• The Board adopted a definition of diversity for NAPM that states: "For the National Association of Purchasing Management, diversity is valuing and respecting individual strengths, viewpoints, and contributions. Diversity is viewed as a positive asset in the National Association of Purchasing Management's growth and success."

In addition, a sexual harassment policy was adopted that states:
"Any acts of sexual harassment, either verbal or physical, toward any person, whether by another employee or a non-employee (including an association member), will not be tolerated."

• The Board completed work with the Ethical Standards Committee in the development of the Model Business Conduct Guidelines for NAPM Affiliates.
• The Board approved amendments to the NAPM Bylaws as they relate to the membership criteria, the temporary inability of a Director to perform duties, and changes to the Director at Large selection procedure.
• The Board approved a one-time grant of $25,000 to establish the Dr. Harold E. Fearon, C.P.M. Professorship in Purchasing at the Arizona State University College of Business.

Setting the Strategy
The 1992-93 Strategic Plan is comprised of five main strategic elements: Membership, Education, Research, Certification Programs, and Communications. Membership represents the most critical aspect of this plan. The five main strategic elements follow.

Membership
The heart of NAPM is the membership. The ability of NAPM to affect the view of the professional and the profession itself is dependent upon the size of the organization and the occupational diversification of the members. NAPM will strive to increase membership growth while aggressively seeking balanced representation in various economic sectors.

The Membership Activities Committee (MAC), succeeded in maintaining retention below 8 percent, thereby achieving their goal. Also, the MAC Summer workshops reinforced NAPM's commitment to diversity awareness by showing videos on diversity and the changing workforce. This empasized NAPM's efforts to expand its overall membership and seek a broad representation.

As a sign of growth, the number of NAPM affiliates increased once again from 172 to 174 affiliates covering 12 districts. The Organization and Planning Committee (OPC) completed "NAPM's 1993 Membership Needs Assessment Survey," which provided members' opinions and perceptions regarding NAPM products and the purchasing topics members are most interested in. The OPC also completed its development of the "Chapter Development Guide for Affiliates and Prospective Chapters," which provides guidance to affiliates and prospective affiliate chapters for initial organization, maintaining a relationship, and the potential achievement of affiliate status by the chapter.

Education
As the association's leadership and program planners understand the purchasing and materials management common body of knowledge, the various elements of the organization (national, district, affiliates, committees, and groups) responsible for developing, conducting, and evaluating such programs must be flexible in focusing on providing programming that is timely, relevant, and inclusive of the interests of the various segments of society. The quality of the content and presentation must achieve the highest standard of excellence. All organizational elements must achieve an understanding of their roles in the educational process and work together to coordinate efforts and provide cost effective, high-quality educational products or services to all customers.

The Professional Development Committee, in its continuing effort to assist in the growth of the purchasing professional as well as the profession, updated and distributed a speaker bureau directory of respected authorities in the field of purchasing and materials management. The committee also promoted diversity awareness training at the district summer workshops. A large number of affiliates, through their Professional Develop-ment Committees, participated in developing an extensive list of leading-edge topics that was used by the Permanent Conference Committee to select workshop topics for presentation at the 78th Annual International Purchasing Conference, in San Antonio, Texas. These workshops were attended by more than 1,800 members who registered for the annual conference.

Recordings of selected conference workshops were available for purchase for those unable to attend the conference or specific workshops. Throughout the year, several new and revised educational tapes, books, and seminars were added to the already extensive list of educational products and services offered by NAPM. Also, in an effort to help expand the body of knowledge and provide continuing education support to purchasing professionals, the NAPM Information Center responded to approximately 6,000 information and educational inquiries from the members.

Research
The association is committed to continuing research in purchasing and materials management-related issues; providing global leadership to expand and understand the body of knowledge needed by the broad range of purchasing and materials management professionals; and integrating knowledge into the total business operation.

This past fiscal year brought about many successes for NAPM in the research arena. The Center for Advanced Purchasing Studies (CAPS) published two outstanding studies on the purchasing profession. The studies were the CEOs'/ Presidents' Perceptions and Expectations of the Purchasing Function and the Purchasing Education and Training: Requirements and Resources. The studies provided insight into upper management's opinions and perceptions of the purchasing function, as well as identifying some of the future educational and training needs for the purchasing professional.

CAPS conducted benchmarking studies in the petroleum, banking, food manufacturing, computer/telecommunications equipment, pharmaceutical, telecommunications services, beverage, machinery, personal care products, and textiles/apparel industries throughout the fiscal year. CAPS held its annual Executive Purchasing Roundtable in which top purchasing professionals and educators come together to discuss future trends in the purchasing and materials management field.

The Academic Planning Committee, convened its Annual Academic Conference (formerly called the Research Symposium) at the University of Southern Mississippi, where many purchasing academicians from across the nation presented papers on current and future issues in the purchasing and materials management field. In addition, the committee awarded five NAPM Doctoral Research Grants. The grants support outstanding doctoral research and help ensure the development of future purchasing educators.The Academic Planning Committee initiated plans for the first Worldwide Research Symposium on Purchasing and Supply Chain Manage-ment to be held at Arizona State University in March 1995.

Certification Programs
NAPM's Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.) program provides a benchmark for individual professional development and growth. It is based on the content validity process that has identified the critical elements or tasks performed by a professional purchasing manager. It is imperative the association focus on this process and continually review the certification and training programs to reflect the rapidly changing environment of the purchasing and materials management field within a total business operation. NAPM reinforces the use of the C.P.M. designation as confirmation of a general body of knowledge by national and international associations in conjunction with other specialized disciplines.

NAPM's certification program is essential to the growth and development of its members. During the fiscal year, more than 2,900 applications for certification were processed. Seven new C.P.M.- allied associations joined the current list of C.P.M.-allied associations for a total of 26. Eight NAPM affiliates participated in a year-long study of administering a computerized version of the C.P.M. exam. As a means of coordinating affiliate involvement in the certification program, the Certification Board worked closely with the Professional Development Committee, in promoting the C.P.M. certification on the local levels.

Communications
Maintaining effective communication with the NAPM members, their affiliates, the business community, government officials and the associationÍs customers is vital to our success. The continued acceptance of the NAPM Insights magazine, Newsline, and the International Journal of Purchasing and Materials Management has demonstrated a need for communication that must be maintained and expanded to meet the growing demand by purchasing and materials management professionals for a broad range of information. NAPM publications enable the association to communicate with the member, and provide a platform for individuals to expand their knowledge of a specific subject by sharing it with their fellow professionals.

To ensure that the membership could consistently locate information about the profession and the association, NAPM Insights and Newsline became the official communication vehicles for the association. NAPM Insights was expanded during the fiscal year to provide more purchasing and materials management information for the membership. Groups were able to highlight their activities through the Spotlight on Groups publication. Also, the Public Relations Committee continued their efforts in promoting diversity in the profession and the awareness of the purchasing and materials management profession by submitting articles to other organizations and publications. The Public Relations Committee successfully promoted March 1993 as PURCHASING MONTH by receiving national media coverage and having many affiliates hold special events and press conferences to mark this event.

The International Journal of Purchasing and Materials Management began translating its abstracts into French, German, and Spanish to expand the Journal's recognition in the international arena.

The NAPM Report on Business - continued to provide financial and purchasing professionals with near-term economic information and forecasting. The report represents approximately 92 percent of the press coverage about NAPM.

In retrospect, the 1992-93 fiscal year was a success for NAPM and its members. The full integration of the strategic plan by the affiliates, districts, national committees, groups, Board of Directors, and national staff help set NAPM on the right course to becoming the world leader in purchasing and materials management educational, research, and professional certification arenas.

Back to Top