Following NAFTA's lead. (Alliances).

Those familiar with economic globalization probably are also familiar with the North American Free Trade Agreement, commonly known as NAFTA, the accord entered into by the governments of Mexico, Canada, and the United States to promote trade across those countries' borders. What may be lesser known, however, is that associations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all three countries are following their governments' lead and working together in the spirit of NAFTA to build upon the agreement.

In March 2002, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), Washington, D.C., Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), Ottawa, and the Camara Nacional de la Industria de Transformacion (CANACINTRA), Mexico City, announced the formation of the NAFTA Industry Alliance, a partnership to promote economic growth and other mutual goals among the member nations of NAFTA. "We will use this unprecedented alliance in the months and years ahead to explore such possibilities as joint economic proposals to our three governments, common negotiating positions, and perhaps most importantly, to point out to the public the benefits of NAFTA," says NAM President Jerry Jasinowski.

The alliance is in its nascent stages--its creation comes in the form of a memorandum of understanding. "This is really a unique arrangement, and we believe it will serve the membership of all three organizations very well," says J. Stephen Larkin, president, The Aluminum Association, Washington, D.C., and the immediate past chair of the Council of Manufacturing Associations, a subset of NAM. Larkin says that possible purposes of the alliance would be to exchange information on trade and technical issues and to exchange views on trade and economic policy affecting North American industries. The alliance could develop joint initiatives addressing common policy concerns.

And it conceivably will benefit businesses directly as well, says Larkin, in that alliance participants can assist one another in the ways of doing business in their respective countries. "If you're trying to get something done in Mexico, it really does help to have somebody that knows how Mexican businesses and government are organized," he says.

Larkin, in fact, sees a parallel with some of ASAE's international initiatives, such as its alliance with the European Society of Association Executives. Note that in "Global Exchange" in the March 2002 issue of ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT ESAE CEO Colin Grimes expressed how ESAE and European NGOs could benefit their American counterparts by bridging cultural gaps. "This dovetails with what ASAE is trying to do," Larkin says.

In this sense, the alliance has the potential to have a positive impact on businesses' bottom line. "If you don't have somebody on the ground who can give you the benefit of experience, you will spend incredible amounts of time and probably a fair amount of money," notes Larkin. "If you already have somebody that you have some confidence in and who has a shared experience, then you're already set to go."

There are the collective industry issues that the alliance will no doubt be addressing. As CME President and CEO Perrin Beatty says, "This agreement will allow us to create truly North American solutions to the concerns of manufacturers."