Management societies and associations exist to promote greater professionalism within the field and provide educational opportunities for their members. Many societies and associations exist within the field of management. Some have members primarily from academia; others have members who are primarily practitioners; while still others have both. Although almost all associations within the field of management have some international members, the focus of the following paragraphs is on those societies and associations whose membership is predominantly in the United States.

The management associations discussed in this article all have similar organization structures and activities:

• All sponsor a variety of useful professional services available to their members.
• Most have local chapters that are affiliated with the national organization.
• Most have at least one and sometimes several conferences each year and sponsor publications designed to disseminate management research findings or to communicate...