[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Free Market Economics was RE: "Underpaid...and not Well Understood"



Peter,

          In the mid-80's I developed a three day course for SAA on
the merit, value, and practical applications of marketing as an
everyday tool for archivists.  I taught one in Chicago and one at
Amherst.  The course was centered on how to identify the unique values
of a collection and/or the research skills of the archivists to the
variety of the internal gatekeepers and the various publics in the
community.   The content was intended to teach marketing as a new
skill set that needed to be applied in all facets of  "the business"
as a practical tool.   I've taught marketing for 20 years while a
daily practioner and I've never had a harder class.

         I'm sorry to say the learning curve was not allowed to
continue.  The consensus was that marketing was not of obvious enough
value ( remembering this was 1985) and the classes did not continue.
   And believe me, I did review my class approach.

         Of course, some collections will have more or less success
in the market just as supply and demand works for all products and
services in the market.   Marketing for archivists was, and is, a
challenge for a marketer.   Marketing for any "hard to understand the
value of" service is a challenge and archivists are not alone.   Try
religion, perhaps the military, or fee based government services.  It
doesn't matter that it is hard, it only matters that we learn to do
it.  There are many success stories out there and they all reflect two
consistent things, a creative, positive attitude, (and that does not
mean being an ad agency whiz).    That I still see little in the way
of marketing lessons, concepts or principles in the many stories on
the list, leaves me to believe I should not plan on resurrecting my
class anytime soon.   I'm not an archivist, but I spent 17 years at
the National Archives and felt strongly that optimizing access to
their valued records was essential.  I'd love to see this attitude
played out in strategic plans and outreach efforts reported on the
list.   I'd love to see the change.

      Kevin



   Kevin




>>> "Kurilecz, Peter" <peter.kurilecz@WOODSIDESUMMITGROUP.COM> 01/25
2:32 PM >>>
"We see frequently that people get paid not necessarily by the
importance of
their job but how much money they generate for their employer."

Actually it is more a case of supply and demand (jump in when you are
ready
Steve!). There is only one Derek Jeter if several teams want him,
they will
offer him an amount of money, he will review the amount (and
associated
bennies) and decide what is the better deal.

Now lets look at archives. If an archives is offering x dollars for
a
position and no one respond to the ad, the natural course would be to
raise
the amount ie offer a better salary or more benefits. Once you have
received
a sufficient number of applicants you now know what the natural
salary level
is for that position. Conversely if an archives places an advert for
a
position for a ridiculously low salary and they receive numerous
well-qualified responses then that the is the natural true salary
level.

A real world example: I worked part-time at a chain bookstore for a
number
of years (at night) for several reasons. The majority of the staff
were
college students. Several complained one day that they didn't think
they
were being paid enough and that the store should pay them more. I
explained
that wouldn't happen for a couple of reasons the prime one being that
we had
over two inches worth of one page applications from people willing to
work
there for just over minimum wage (we also received 30% discount on
all
purchases). So they could be easily replaced and none of them had
any
special skills.

so finally want to have higher salaries in archives?
1. don't apply for a position with a ridiculously low salary.

2. decrease the supply of archivists

3. Create a demand for archivists by showing the value of having an
archivist -- think in terms of profitability, cost efficiencies, etc.
That
is what the top dog is going to be thinking of.
To put it in simpler terms how are you going to show increased usage
of the
facility. How are you going to create demand from the public for the
archives.

4. promote your archives, create demand.

5. Expand your horizons

that's enough for now from the dark side :-)

Peter A. Kurilecz CRM, CA
Manager, Records Management Group
Woodside Summit Group Inc
Midlothian, Virginia
Office: 804-744-1247 x23
Fax: 804-744-4947
mailto:peter.kurilecz@woodsidesummitgroup.com

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to
listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>