The Governance of Global Industry Associations

Book excerpt: This insightful book examines the role of micro-politics in the life of global industry associations. Karsten Ronit addresses the various rules and norms required to administer these associations, highlighting the importance of managing variations in complex member demands and responding to expectations in their institutional environment. Posing a variety of empirical and theoretical challenges, the author charts the state of the art in the study of industry associations, evaluating the current condition of research in the field. Ronit offers a systematic approach to the role of global industry associations, identifying, classifying and analysing the diverse population of industry associations and the expressions of micro-politics that occur within them. Addressing key dilemmas such as leadership, resource allocation and behavioural governance, Ronit examines the many policy areas in which industry associations are active and the areas in which their activities overlap with other policy actors. Offering a critical conceptual exploration of the significance of industry associations, this cutting-edge book is crucial reading for scholars and students researching business and politics, particularly those interested in associational governance in global industries. It will also benefit practitioners working in business associations and consulting firms, as well as policymakers addressing industry associations.