December 1996 € Volume 6 € Number 12

Harmonized Business Solutions Reverberated Throughout 1996 ...

By Andrew D. Nicoll, CFPIM,CIRM, C.P.M.
1996 APICS President

No one can whistle a symphony ... it takes an orchestra to play it." The phrase is an apt one for APICS as 1996 draws to a close. Harmony was the theme of the 1996 APICS International Conference and Exhibition, "Harmonize Business Solutions," and also the focus of my year as society president. Through the concerted efforts of society members, volunteer leadership and professional staff, APICS has had one of its most successful years in society history. It also was a year built on past accomplishments and one that will help build even greater successes in the future.

During 1996, APICS launched several major initiatives to advance its educational interests through a market-driven approach and as a knowledge-based organization. Among them were:

• New APICS international conference programming and marketing/communications efforts
• Evolutionary changes in certification
• Expansion of other society educational offerings
• Implementation of new technologies to advance educational delivery
• Advances in our SIG program
• International expansion
• A stronger governance focus.

As a result of these and other actions in previous years, the APICS membership base is steadily growing:

• The society sustained more than 70,000 members consistently throughout 1996 -- the first time this has occurred since at least 1990.
• The length of an average APICS membership is now approaching five years -- also a record-breaker.
• APICS members are "re-upping" in record numbers as evidenced by this year's average retention rate, which is projected to be 78 percent -- the highest in society history.
• Evidence the APICS market-driven educational focus is paying off is also seen in the strong performance of APICS -- The Performance Advantage and in the strong sales of APICS products and services:
  
  
  -- Eighty-four percent of APICS -- The Performance Advantage readers rate the magazine good/excellent and the combined member/subscription circulation tally is steadily approaching 100,000. In addition, the APICS magazine hit an all-time advertising sales high this year and continues to break financial records.

  -- As of September, APICS Customer Service reports sales are up 13 percent over 1995 figures. In the past seven years alone, the APICS Distribution Center has processed nearly one-half million customer orders involving six million pieces of inventory, including books, courseware, and certification materials.
  
  
  

New APICS International Conference programming initiatives
Even before 1996 began, APICS decided to reach out to new industry audiences through expanded programming and aggressive marketing efforts in order to increase attendance at the 1996 APICS International Conference and Exhibition. These new initiatives, coupled with expanded sales of exhibit space for the APICS Exhibition, resulted in record-breaking attendance and exhibitor numbers in New Orleans in October. At final count, more than 6,500 industry professionals from 32 countries attended the 1996 APICS International Conference and Exhibition -- a figure that broke all attendance records. The APICS Exhibition featured 187 exhibitors, occupying 45,000 square feet of space, making it the largest exhibition in APICS history.


Evolutionary changes in certification
Throughout 1996, education remained the cornerstone not only for the APICS International Conference and Exhibition, but for all APICS events and activities. At mid-year, the society announced the new Basics of Supply Chain Management module, the seventh module in the Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) program. The module will be introduced into the CPIM program in spring 1997. In addition to serving as an introductory course for professionals seeking certification, people from varying disciplines including accounting, management information systems and purchasing, can take the Basics course as a manufacturing primer in supply chain management.

During the year, the Certified in Integrated Resource Management (CIRM) committees developed plans for changes in the CIRM program and courseware, some of which will be implemented as early as mid-1997 and others over a period of several years (see page 16, "New -- Changes Planned for APICS' Certified in Integrated Resource Management (CIRM) Program" for details). As with the CPIM Basics module, the first revised CIRM courseware module will be available from APICS by the end of this month.

The number of APICS-certified industry professionals continues to grow throughout the world as 1996 draws to a close. To date, more than 55,000 professionals are CPIM-certified and 2,300 individuals hold the CIRM designation.


Expansion of other educational offerings
During 1996, APICS expanded its relationship with the National Association of Purchasing Management (NAPM), jointly developing and sponsoring workshops. Building on the success of the 1995 workshop, Purchasing and Materials Management: Creating a Seamless Process, APICS and NAPM added two new sessions to the 1996 schedule, bringing the total number of workshop offerings on this topic to six. APICS and NAPM also are discussing the development of new joint workshops.

Many new companies took advantage of the APICS in-house education program this year. The program provides comprehensive, on-site training for 10 to 25 employees at one set price. At least 18 companies participated in the program in 1996, among them: the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Weight Watchers Gourmet Foods, AlliedSignal and Taro Pharmaceuticals.


Launch of new web site
APICS entered the Information Age this year with the launch of its new World Wide Web site, http://www.apics.org. The service is allowing not only APICS members but all industry professionals the opportunity to access and share the latest news and information concerning resource management. Since its official introduction in June, the APICS web site has generated nearly 700 orders for APICS materials -- more than 70 percent of the orders from non-APICS members.


SIG expansion
The society's SIG program expanded on several fronts during 1996. Last April, over 400 industry professionals attended the highly successful 1996 Constraints Management Symposium in Detroit. The 40-speaker program also showcased 11 exhibitors.

In late summer, APICS announced its decision to broaden the focus of the Aerospace and Defense (A&D) SIG to include other highly complex project manufacturing areas. The result was the Complex Industries SIG, which held its first meeting at the APICS International Conference and Exhibition in October.

Also at the 1996 conference, APICS announced the signing of a cooperative agreement between IBM and the APICS Small Manufacturing SIG to jointly develop educational programming and services.

Broadening SIG interests over the past several years has helped generate more than 1,000 new SIG members between September 1995 and September 1996.


International growth
Reaching beyond North America, APICS further established itself as a premier international organization in 1996, building upon the successes of previous years. The APICS leadership served as society ambassadors to several of our APICS international allies last year:

• In May, I attended the Australasian Production and Inventory Control Society annual conference in Melbourne, Australia.
• In June, President-Elect Gregory Schlegel, CPIM, traveled to South Africa to attend the 1996 Annual Conference of the South African Production and Inventory Control Society.
• Also in June, Past President Selim Noujaim, CFPIM, attended the annual meeting of the Federation of European Production and Inventory Control Societies.

In 1996, APICS finalized additional international licensing agreements -- bringing the total number to more than 130. Five of the International Associate organizations participated in the APICS International Member category in 1996, and additional associates have expressed interest in participating in the near future. As 1996 concludes, the society is represented in more than 30 countries worldwide and continues its efforts to form new international relationships.

APICS certification programs also were critical to international expansion efforts in 1996. APICS exams are available in more than 30 countries with an expected 60 testing centers by the end of 1996.


Advancing governance issues
The APICS Board of Directors made major progress in advancing the society as a knowledge-based organization this year. Beginning in early 1996 and continuing through the year, the APICS Board and professional staff began a strategic planning analysis of all major APICS programs. The analysis evaluates not only the role of each society program in advancing the APICS mission but also the attractiveness, competitive position and alternative coverage of the programs.

The APICS Board itself began to refocus its own governance moving toward long-term strategic thinking as opposed to short-term management goals, establishing consensual priorities, and broadening the fiscal management focus. As the board's priorities began shifting toward broader society management, the professional staff began the process of assuming more tactical management responsibilities.

As a result of this new management focus, APICS Headquarters also began a major realignment to support the APICS mission and to integrate the society's goals into day-to-day operations of the society. Under the new management structure, APICS Headquarters moved away from departmental silos and integrated its operations into two core functions:

• supporting the APICS membership organization
• designing and delivering top quality, cutting-edge education.
  
  
  

The orchestra plays on ...
APICS activities during 1996 serve as the best illustration that "No one can whistle a symphony ... it takes an orchestra to play it." And next year will be no different. 1997 brings with it a new APICS president, Gregory L. Schlegel, CFPIM; a new board of directors; and many changes at the chapter level. But, even though the orchestra will change, the symphony remains the same, since the music is embedded in our mission statement: To be the premier provider and global leader in individual and organizational education, standards of excellence, and information in integrated resource management.