Skip to main content
Log in

Developing a typology of membership schemes in the UK

  • Published:
International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Tens of thousands of membership schemes with millions of members exist in the profit and not for profit sector. This is an international phenomenon yet there is very little literature about either the membership organisations or their members.

The purpose of this paper is to fill this knowledge gap by describing how a typology of membership schemes affiliated to museums, galleries and heritage organisations in the UK (also known asfriends schemes, societies and associations) was developed, has subsequently been refined and will continue to do so through a future research project. This is important to build theory, and to ensure that typologies reflect reality in a changing environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bhattacharya, C.B. (1995): Understanding the Bond of Identification: An Investigation of its Correlates among Art Museum Members.Journal of Marketing, vol. 59, no 4 (October), pp. 46–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharya, C.B. (1995): When Customers Are Members: Customer Retention in Paid Membership Contexts.Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 26, no 1, pp. 31–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boyden Southwood (1990)Research into Friends and Members Schemes. London: Arts Council of Great Britain.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bozarth, C. and McDermott, C. (1998): Configurations in Manufacturing Strategy: A Review and Directions for Future Research.Journal of Operations Management, vol. 16, pp. 427–439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brabbs, C. (2001): Open to All.Marketing, 12/04/2001, page 21.

  • Burns Sadek Research Ltd. (1992)Qualitative Research Conducted to Examine the Motivations for Membership of Friend’s Schemes. London: The Arts Council of England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cordrey, T. (1995) What are Friends for?Museums Journal, vol. 95, no 10 (October), pp. 19–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cress, D.M.; McPherson, J.M. and Rotolo, T. (1997): Competition and Commitment in Voluntary Memberships: The Paradox of Persistence and Participation.Sociological Perspectives, vol. 40, no 1, pp. 61–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dess, G.G.; Newport, S. and Rasheed, A.M.A. (1993): Configuration Research in Strategic Management: Key Issues and Suggestions.Journal of Management, vol. 19, no 4, pp. 775–795.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, C. (2002):Friends like These A Study of the Contribution of Friends and Support Organizations to Yorkshire’s Museums, Archives and Libraries. Community Heritage Partners Resource, Yorkshire Museums Council, British Association of Friends of Museum.

  • Elsdon, K.T.; Reynolds, J. and Stewart, S. (2000):3e. Voluntary Organizations, Citizenship, Learning and Change. Leicester: NIACE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friends of the Lake District (2005):About the Friends. Available at [http://www.fld.org.uk/aboutthefriends.html] (accessed at 30/05/2005).

  • Glynn, M.A.;, Bhattacharya, C.B. and Rao, H. (1996): Art Museum Membership and Cultural Distinction: Relating Members’ Perceptions of Prestige to Benefit Usage.Poetics, vol. 24, pp. 259–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greig, I.D. (2003): Towards a Typology of Consumer Survey Research.European Journal of Marketing, vol. 37, no 10, pp. 1314–1331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hambrick, D.C. (1984): Taxonomic Approaches to Studying Strategy: Some Conceptual and Methodological Issues.Journal of Management, vol. 10, no 1, pp. 27–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, D. and Slater, A. (2003):From ‘Social Club’ to ‘Integrated Membership Scheme’: Developing your Membership Scheme Strategically. International Journal of Non-Profit & Voluntary Sector Marketing, vol. 8, no1, pp. 59–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heaton, D. (1992):Museums amongst Friends: The Wider Museum Community. London: HMSO & Museums and Galleries Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, L. and Whitehead, B. (2004):The Complete Membership Handbook, a Guide to Managing Friends, Members and Supporters Schemes. London: Directory of Social Change in Association with Arts Professional.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horton-Smith, D. (1991): Four Sectors or Five? Retaining the Member-Benefit Sector.Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, vol. 20, no 2, pp. 137–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horton-Smith, D. (1993): Public Benefit and Member Benefit Non-Profit Voluntary Groups.Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, vol. 22, no 1, pp. 53–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hubbard, R.; Vetter, D.E. and Little, E.L. (1998): Replication in Strategic Management: Scientific Testing for Validity, Generalizability, and Usefulness.Strategic Management Journal, vol. 19, no 3, pp. 243–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iliffe, S. (2004):The Good Membership Guide for the Voluntary Sector, a Relationship Marketing Toolkit for Growing your Support. London: NCVO Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kew Gardens (2005): web site available at [http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/aboutus/index.html] (accessed at 31/05/2005).

  • Knoke, D. (1981) Commitment and Detachment in Voluntary Associations.American Sociological Review, vol. 46, pp. 141–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lacey, H. (2004): The Big Read.Museums Journal, vol. 104, no 9, pp. 32–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lansley, J. (1996): Membership Participation and Ideology in Voluntary Organizations: The Case of the National Trust.Voluntas, vol. 7, no 3, pp. 221–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murray, S. (2002): Friends like These.Museums Journal, vol. 102, no. 11, pp. 24–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Audit Office (2004):Income Generated by the Museums and Galleries. London: The Stationery Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Council of Voluntary Organisations (2004):The National Trust Annual Report and Accounts. London: The National Trust. Available at [http://www.nationaltrust.org] (accessed at 04/02/2005).

    Google Scholar 

  • National Trust (2004):The National Trust Annual Report and Accounts. London: The National Trust. Available at [http://www.nationaltrust.org] (accessed at 04/02/2005).

    Google Scholar 

  • Nightingale, J. (2003): Members Only.Museums Journal, vol. 103, no 4, pp. 30–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nightingale, J. (2004): Members Only.Museum Practice, Autumn, pp. 40–42.

  • Raymond, C. (1992):Members Matter, Making the Most of Membership Schemes in the Arts. London: Arts Council of Great Britain.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rich, P. (1992) The Organizational Taxonomy: Definition and Design.Academy of Management Review, vol. 17, no 4, pp. 758–781.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rich, P. and Hines, D. (2002):Membership Development, an Action Plan for Results. Gaithersburg (Maryland): Aspen’s Non-Profit Management Series.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slater, A. (1999):Relationship Marketing as a Strategic Tool for Managing Museum and Gallery Membership Schemes and Enriching Relationships with Members. Unpublished dissertation for the MA in Museum Management, University of Greenwich.

  • Slater, A. (2003a): ‘Users or Supporters?’ Understanding the Motivations and Behaviors of Members.Curator, vol. 46, n 2, pp. 182–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slater, A. (2003b): An Audit of Friends Schemes at UK Heritage Sites.International Journal of Heritage Studies, vol. 9, no 4, pp. 357–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slater, A. (2004): Revisiting Membership Schemes in Museums and Galleries.International Journal of Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Marketing, vol. 9, no 3, pp. 238–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slater, A. (2005, forthcoming):Expanding a Typology of Membership Schemes: A Comparison of Museums and Galleries and Heritage Sites. Leisure Studies Association Newsletter.

  • The World Federation of Friends of Museums (2005): web site available at [http://www.museumfriends.org] (accessed at 11/05/2005).

  • Tsikriktsis, N. (2004): A Technology Readiness-Based Taxonomy of Customers.Journal of Services Research, vol. 7, no 1 (August), pp. 42–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeuner, C. and Pailthorpe, R. (1994): Fund-Raising in the Smaller Museum. In Harrison, R. (ed).Manual of Heritage Management. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, pp. 246–248.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alix Slater.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Slater, A. Developing a typology of membership schemes in the UK. Int Rev Public Nonprofit Mark 2, 23–39 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02893248

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02893248

Key Words

Navigation