Comparative Study and Policy Recommendations on the Professionalization of Industry Association Teams at Home and Abroad

With the development of China's market economy and the deepening of reforms, the role of industry associations has become increasingly prominent, and the demand for industry associations from enterprises, governments, and all sectors of society has become more urgent. As a meso-level management entity in social and economic development, a specific implementer of industry management, and an important participant in external negotiations and trade talks, the professionalization and specialization level of its talent team directly affects the performance of various functions of industry associations. Currently, the construction of professionalized teams in China's industry associations is relatively lagging, with a significant shortage of specialized talents, which has become one of the bottlenecks for the healthy development of industry associations. The "Several Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Accelerating the Reform and Development of Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce" (Guo Ban Fa [2007] No. 36) points out, "Strengthen the construction of professional talent teams. Industry associations and their branches and representative offices should be staffed with full-time personnel, and according to relevant national regulations, conduct professional title evaluations for qualified staff." Relevant government departments have also proposed to "strengthen the construction of association teams. Guide association teams towards youthfulness, specialization, and professionalization, emphasize the combination of old, middle-aged, and young members, absorb experts, business backbones, and outstanding young talents from the industry to work in associations, enrich research strength and professional talents, and promote sustainable development of associations." On May 25, 2010, the National Talent Work Conference held by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council and the issuance of the "National Medium- and Long-term Talent Development Plan Outline (2010-2020)" marked the beginning of a new era of talent-priority development and a new stage of building a talent-strong country in China. As the mismatch between the current construction of industry association teams and the development needs of industry associations becomes increasingly apparent, changing the current severe shortage of association talents and strengthening the construction of professionalized teams in industry associations to effectively play their functions has become an urgent issue to be addressed in China's industry associations.
Based on research by domestic and foreign scholars, this project conducts micro-studies using national industry associations and some regional industry associations as examples, focusing on comparative studies of the professionalized team construction of industry associations in countries such as the United States, Germany, and Japan compared to China. It summarizes and draws lessons from the experience of foreign industry associations in building professionalized teams and proposes the following policy recommendations, aiming to provide beneficial contributions to promoting the sustainable development of China's industry associations.

1. Clarify the Association's Positioning and Entrust Employment Rights to the Association
One of the main reasons for the problems in the construction of professionalized teams in industry associations is the unclear self-positioning of the associations. Industry associations should establish their independent "personality" conceptually. Relevant government departments should promptly determine related matters, including the status and nature of industry associations, through legislation, so that industry associations have clear legal basis in their future work and properly handle relationships with the government and enterprises. Among the current problems in the construction of professionalized teams in industry associations, the leadership of associations is heavily influenced by the government, with most association leaders appointed by relevant government departments. Therefore, the focus should be on strengthening the leadership of associations. First, the issue of civil servants holding concurrent positions in associations must be resolved. Additionally, industry associations should further standardize and implement election mechanisms so that key leaders such as the association president can truly be elected by the members' general assembly through democratic voting, changing the current hand-raising voting method. Through these measures, political and association leadership can be separated starting from the leadership level of industry associations, allowing more influential and charismatic personnel with senior industry experience, familiarity with relevant policies and regulations, and high management levels to hold leadership positions in associations.

2. Clarify Functional Allocation and Make Plans for Professionalized Team Construction
First, positions need to be established according to the functional allocation requirements of each stage of the industry association. Based on the actual situation of the positions, analyze the knowledge, skills, experience, and responsibility levels required for execution, thereby clarifying the requirements that personnel in each position must meet, such as professional category, education level, and business proficiency. Conduct functional allocation planning according to changes in association tasks and environmental demands, scientifically forecast human resource supply and demand, and make short-, medium-, and long-term plans for the construction of professionalized teams in associations. According to specific functional needs and following six principles of professionalized team construction, allocate high-quality and adaptable talents purposefully. Improve the current knowledge, skill, and professional structure of human resources in industry associations, assign personnel of different specialties, ages, skills, and levels to appropriate positions, maintain dynamic balance, and continuously and timely conduct scientific allocation of human resources in industry associations according to objective changes.

3. Government Increase Funding and Establish a Diversified Talent Development System for Associations
Premier Wen Jiabao pointed out at the National Talent Work Conference in May this year, "Increase investment in talent development funds. Establish and improve a diversified talent development investment mechanism involving the government, employers, individuals, and society, significantly increasing the proportion of human capital investment." The "National Medium- and Long-term Talent Development Plan Outline (2010-2020)" proposes a strategic layout of "talent-priority development." Based on this, we believe that relevant government departments should further increase funding for talent development in industry associations and allocate part of the funds for talent training in industry associations. Encourage and support industry associations to establish talent development funds, appropriately adjust fiscal and tax policies, and increase the proportion of funds allocated for talent training in industry associations. It is recommended to formulate corresponding support policies to encourage and guide industry associations to build professionalized talent teams through tax incentives, interest subsidies, and other means.

4. Improve Human Resource Systems and Implement Industry Association Qualification Certification and Evaluation
Currently, a prominent problem in China's industry association human resource systems is that many staff come from government department institutional reforms and transfers, holding administrative ranks, enjoying administrative benefits, and having a strong administrative color. Therefore, industry associations must regulate these phenomena from the human resource system perspective, absorb experts, business backbones, and outstanding retired personnel, use the prestige and influence of senior comrades to improve relationships between industry associations, governments, and enterprises. Gradually implement the youthfulness, specialization, and professionalization of staff. In the construction of professionalized teams in industry associations, cultivate and absorb to gradually form a young, specialized, and professional industry association team. At the same time, attention should be paid to solving staff social security issues. Relevant national departments should promptly study corresponding social security policies, focusing on medical, pension, and unemployment social security for full-time association staff, and strive to form related policies for supervision and implementation. Improve the salary distribution system of industry associations, adhere to remuneration based on work, and make salary distribution public, transparent, and standardized. Further improve relevant regulations to promote the professionalization of industry association staff from a policy perspective and establish a relatively stable, combative, and cohesive professional team.
Implement an industry association qualification certification system to avoid improper employment issues through institutional means. Relevant government departments should conduct qualification recognition, formulate standards for selecting and employing personnel in industry associations, and continuously optimize the educational background, ability, personality, and age structure of professionalized teams in industry associations. Establish an industry association talent training fund and regularly conduct professional training to form a democratic, united, upright, and combative professional team. In the construction of industry association leadership teams, attract high-quality, capable, and innovative backbone entrepreneurs to leadership through the qualification certification system. Reform the talent selection and utilization methods of industry associations, try to establish a professionalized volunteer team for industry associations, scientifically and reasonably use talents, promote the right person for the right job at the right time, and make full use of talents, forming a selection and employment mechanism conducive to various talents standing out and fully demonstrating their abilities. At the same time, establish a scientific and social talent evaluation and discovery mechanism based on association job responsibilities, oriented by morality, ability, and performance. Improve talent evaluation standards in industry associations, overcome tendencies to value only academic degrees or papers, avoid being overly critical of talents, and focus on evaluating talents based on practice and contribution. Improve talent evaluation methods in industry associations and broaden talent evaluation channels. Combine talent evaluation with talent discovery, insist on identifying and discovering talents in practice and among the masses.
Industry associations need to establish competition and incentive mechanisms internally to continuously improve management levels and service quality through competition. Only then can they establish their functional position in industry management, fully play the role of a bridge connecting the government and enterprises, and achieve healthy development. The process of market-oriented reform of industry associations should be accelerated to better develop and utilize professional talents in industry associations. This is a key factor in promoting the development of industry associations and an inevitable choice for their market-oriented development.

5. Strengthen the Construction of Association Leadership Teams and Improve the Overall Quality of the Team   
A united and cooperative leadership team is the primary prerequisite for the development of industry associations. A good leadership team can help the association establish a good image and generate positive influence in society, as well as have a good impact and appeal within the association members. Industry association leaders should fully leverage everyone's initiative and mobilize team enthusiasm. Leadership team construction should be strengthened, paying attention to principles and needs such as overall age structure, knowledge structure, and enthusiasm. A good personnel selection mechanism should be established to select the chairman (president) and secretary-general, attracting people with career prospects, uniting them with emotions, motivating them materially, and shaping them with advanced culture. In terms of style and system construction, a decisive, clean, and efficient work style should be established, and association culture construction should be gradually strengthened.
Professional training should be strengthened to improve the professionalization level of association work. A talent training system for association work should be established that coordinates and complements different educational levels, professional training, and knowledge popularization. A number of association work training bases should be built. Professional knowledge training for association workers should be strengthened, and a quality evaluation index system for association work training should be formulated. Innovation should be insisted upon to improve the professional theoretical level of industry association workers. Learning from others and independent innovation should be combined, strengthening cooperation and exchanges with international industry associations, inviting foreign experts and scholars to give lectures, introducing foreign association work talents, and sending personnel abroad for study and experience. At the same time, the social reality of our country should be faced squarely, refining and innovating from the perspective of combining theory with practice.
Environmental construction should be accelerated to improve the socialization level of industry association work. As a specialized profession, association work provides professional services that meet needs, and associations and association workers should receive certain compensation. For association work, social compensation can be expressed not only as financial support but also as support from the state in policies, regulations, and public opinion guidance. The government should proactively provide more policy benefits and supporting service systems for association workers to help the better development of association work and enable it to receive social compensation through institutionalized methods and channels.
The overall quality of the professional workforce in industry associations should be improved. The ideological construction of full-time staff in industry associations should be strengthened to enhance their service awareness and self-transcendence awareness, advocate innovation spirit, and cultivate team spirit. The political and professional qualities of the professional workforce in industry associations should be improved. Industry association practitioners should have a spirit of dedication, love the career they are engaged in, and possess a reasonable and rich knowledge structure. They should not only have certain professional knowledge but also corresponding disciplinary knowledge to meet the work needs of industry associations.

(Science and Technology Quality Department)