titel

General

Introduction

From the early ages, people found it necessary to group themselves for various reasons. Whether it was to live, to hunt, to work, for their beliefs, or to play, people always felt more secure when they were together in groups or in small or large communities.

Over the years, this has led to the establishment of numerous associations, federations, societies, etc. which all had the same basic purpose; to unite the people who have the same interest so that together, they are stronger, feel more secure, and they can achieve greater efficiency.
Today there are so many different associations that it is necessary to define the specific characteristics and roles of each one separately.

Association

An association is an organization of persons having a common interest. (Source: Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.)

An association is an organized body of people who have some interest, activity or purpose in common. It can be a society or a league. (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary.)

A group of people or organizations joined together for a purpose or a linking or joining of people or things or coming together and social interaction between people. (Encarta® World English Dictionary.)

According to these definitions, the term "association" must be considered in its broadest sense as being a union of people with common interests. It can consequently be applied to different groupings, such as organizations, cooperations, federations, societies, unions, etc, To illustrate this more clearly, one could say for instance that a union is an association but an association is not a union.

Nowadays, most associations are mainly established for professional, cultural, public utility, recreational, and religious purposes.

In this web site, our focus is on the professional, cultural and public utility associations.

The main reasons of an association are:

To unite people with the same profession and/or interests in one body.
To give professionals protection (e.g. against certain illogical government regulations, external party litigation, etc.)
To promulgate a professional code and to ensure that each member obeys it.
To guarantee high professional standards.
To ensure that every member practices the highest ethics.
To promote the profession, the cultural circle or the public utility association.
To publish papers or journals of general interest or technical and academic level,

Committee

A committee is a body of persons delegated to consider, investigate, take action on, or report on some matter. It is especially applied to a group of fellow legislators chosen by a legislative body to give consideration to legislative matters. A committee is also a self-constituted organization for the promotion of a common object. (Source: Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.)

A group of people officially delegated to perform a function, as investigating, considering, reporting or acting on a matter. (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary.)

A group of people appointed or chosen to perform a function on behalf of a larger group. (Encarta® World English Dictionary.)

From these three definitions we can conclude that a committee is usually a number of people, usually experts, who have a well defined assignment on behalf of a larger group or with regard to a specific matter.

Federation

A union of organizations. (Source: Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.)

A league or association formed by federating, which means, to join or bring together in a league, federal union, or similar association. (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary.)

An act of joining in a federal union or a federal system of government, or a political unit formed from smaller units on a federal basis, or a group of various bodies or parties that have united to achieve a common goal. (Encarta® World English Dictionary.)
From these definitions we can conclude that a federation is the union of several other groups, bodies or parties in one larger association. The term federal applies mainly to governments or political units.

Institute

An organization for the promotion of a cause: ASSOCIATION, a research institute, an institute for the blind, or an educational institution and especially one devoted to technical fields, or a usually brief intensive course of instruction on selected topics relating to a particular field, an urban studies institute. (Source: Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.)

An organization founded to promote some cause, or an educational institution, or an established organization or foundation, especially one dedicated to public service or to culture. (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary.)

An organization for promoting something, such as art, science, or the well-being of a group, or an educational institution, especially one concerned with technical subjects. (Encarta® World English Dictionary.)

An institute is thus mainly a body for cultural, educational, scientific, and similar matters.

Society

A voluntary association of individuals for common ends; especially: an organized group working together or periodically meeting because of common interests, beliefs, or profession, or a community, nation, or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests. (Source: Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.)

A group of human beings broadly distinguished from other groups by mutual interests, participation in characteristic relationships, shared institutions, and a common culture. (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary.)

The prominent or fashionable people in a community and their social life, or an organized group of people who share an interest, aim, or profession. (Encarta® World English Dictionary.)

With regard to this site we could define the term society as follows: a society is an association of individuals or an organized group of people who regularly meet and/or work together because of their common interest, profession, aim or culture.

Club

An association of persons for some common object usually jointly supported and meeting periodically or, a group identified by some common characteristic. (Source: Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.)

A group of people organized for a common purpose, especially a group that meets regularly. (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary.)

An association of people with a common interest, or a group of nations or people who have a particular thing in common. (Encarta® World English Dictionary.)

The terms club and society have much in common. The term club applies more to a common interest of its members and is therefore more used for cultural or recreational activities.

Organization

An administrative and functional structure (as a business or a political party); also: the personnel of such a structure. (Source: Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.)

A number of persons or groups having specific responsibilities and united for a particular purpose. (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary.)

A group of people identified by shared interests or purpose, for example, a business. (Encarta® World English Dictionary.)

An organization is thus usually a more formal and functional structure with some degree of responsibilities as found in an administration, political party or business.

Agency

An administrative division (as of a government) e.g. the agency for consumer protection. (Source: Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.)

A governmental department of administration or regulations. (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary.)

A division of a government or international organization that carries out administrative duties. (Encarta® World English Dictionary.)

Cooperation

Association of persons for common benefit. (Source: Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.)

An association of persons for mutual benefit. (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary.)

The act of working together to achieve a common aim. (Encarta® World English Dictionary.)

From the aforementioned definitions it is clear that the main object of a cooperation is the common benefit.

Union

A confederation of independent individuals (as nations or persons) for some common purpose, or an organization on a college or university campus providing recreational, social, cultural, and sometimes dining facilities, or LABOUR UNION. (Source: Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.)

An alliance or confederation of persons, parties or political entities for mutual interest or benefit, or a labour union, or an organization at a college or university that provides facilities for recreation. (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary.)

Agreement or unity of interests or opinions, or an organization that provides recreational facilities for students at a college or university, an alliance formed by the joining of people or organizations for a common political purpose. (Encarta® World English Dictionary.)

From these definitions we can conclude that a union is usually an alliance or confederation of nations, parties or persons for a common purpose.

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