04/23/2025

From ‘Slowbalization’ to Policy Shifts

This could be the road ahead for associations

At the 2024 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition, Aran Ryan from Oxford Economics introduced the concept of "Slowbalization" — a slowdown in globalization — when discussing the global economic outlook. He highlighted how geopolitical tensions, shifting trade policies and economic restructuring in major economies like China were likely to reshape the landscape.

His prediction is already proving true, as associations and their members adapt to an increasingly complex and radically transformed global environment. To gain a deeper understanding of how the economic outlook is unfolding, and its impact on associations, we reached out to panelists who participated in the Oxford Economics presentation.

"Geopolitical tensions almost always translate to economic uncertainties. They may differ significantly by geography and certainly by the sector or industry, said Magdalena Nowicka Mook, CEO of the International Coaching Federation. "Associations need to pay keen attention to the signals from the market and trends in their particular field."

Please select this link to read the complete article from ASAE’s Center for Association Leadership.