Positioning for the future

page updated 25 September 2006

The British Society of Animal Science (BSAS) is a learned society of people with an interest in all aspects of animal science.  Traditionally its members have represented a broad cross section of interests including genetics, nutrition, breeding, welfare, environment, meat quality and animal production. Its members are drawn from research institutes, universities, colleges, industry, advisors, consultants and in former times practising farmers.

The animal science industry in the UK has changed considerably in recent years and the challenge is for BSAS to respond to this change. It wants to attract new members and ensure that it retains current membership. Student membership of the society is relatively buoyant, but the ability to retain students once they move into first employment is an area the Society would like to improve.

In order to address the issue BSAS have commissioned Customers Matter, a market research company, to approach its members, lapsed members and certain groups of non-members whom the Society wishes to attract.

The objective of the research is to identify the reasons why:

• Members are attracted to the society and retain their membership and if there are areas where the society could improve its offering.
• Lapsed or non-members of the Society leave or never consider joining BSAS and what would have persuaded former members to stay.

In addition:

• To identify areas where BSAS could improve its offer. In particular the society believes that it offers three main benefits to members. These are:
   - the opportunity for like-minded individuals to meet and network effectively,
   - an excellent conference programme with a large multi-disciplinary annual
      conference and smaller specialist conferences on specific issues, 
   - a new authoritative international journal, "Animal".

Feedback on these aspects of the society's activities and how influential these are on retaining or losing membership are also of relevance to this research. Any suggested new activities for the society should also be captured.

Please note that registration for this is now closed.   We received 150 responses from non-members and 238 from members.  Thank you for taking part.  We will shortly inform you of the winners of Amazon book tokens.