International Organization Information / Research: 1975

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Prepared for Union of International Associations (Executive Council, Brussels, 26th May 1975)
See also searchable PDF version (original titles, sub-headings, order and typography); also reports 1959-2006

Organization profiles / networks

Yearbook of International Organizations (15th edition,1974). The second edition to be produced by computer is now almost out of print. The sales have not been seriously affected by the parallel publication of the French edition for the first time, although the precaution had been taken to print somewhat fewer copies of the English edition to compensate for the expected switch by some purchasers to the French edition.

Annuaire des Organisations Internationales (15th edition, 1974) Following financial support from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Canadian Government and the Agence de Niamey, a French translation of the Yearbook of International Organizations will be published at the same time as tho English edition. (The last French edition was the 8th, 1960-1961, edition). Full advantage has been taken of the computer system and general organization of the English edition. The number of orders received to date is quite satisfactory.

Future editions: In view of the fact that the 15th edition is now almost out of print, it is necessary to undertake editorial work in the near future with a view to early publication. The concerns with regard to the selection of publication date are:

• cash flow within the UIA: This favours pushing editorial work towards the autumn months with publication in early spring 1976
• evolution of general economic situation: This has the effect of continually pushing up publication production costs, but delay has the advantage of clarifying the state of the market
• cutbacks in library acquisitions (particularly in the USA): Such cutbacks have not yet been felt in UIA sales although they are frequently reported. Our distributors are n no way discouraged however, and it may be that such coutbacks will mainly affect publication categories other than those into which the Yearbook falls.
• necessity of parallelism with the French edition: As explained earlier, this complicates production, particularly at the printing stage. The main difficulty however is ensuring that an adequate number of French copies are sold before a decision is taken to proceed with the publication programme for both editions.
• immediate priority for the Yearbook of World Problems and Human Potential (see below). Given the early publication desired for this volume, it was decided in February 1975 to give prioritu to work on this within the UIA (mainly keyboard texts and corrections) during the summer months, namely before major work is required on the Yearbook of International Organizations.

Possible alternatives which could be considered are:

• switch back to a two-yearly rhythm: This switch is in effect in the process of bein gmade due to the delays in publication. However it would seem that it is in the UIA interest to maintain an annual rhythm unless the economic situation forces such a switch
• production of a slightly updated editionlonly: For the sake of speed, it would be possible to update names and addresses and include new organizations, but avoid extensive rewriting. This policy might be accepted for every alternative edition, for example. The Yearbook could then be avilable for the end of 1975.

The remarks for the English edition also apply here, providing the principle of parallelism is maintained for production of the two editions.

Yearbook of Multinational Enterprises: The UIA has already looked into this possibility which remains attractive. It requires relatively little investment in research since most of the information is already available in material accessible to ths UIA. The Gxisting computer system would be quite suitable for this publication.

In effects steps are being taken towards this publication within the framework of the the Yearbook of World Problems in which there is a specialized section which lists names, addresses and subsidiary countries for some 600 such bodies. This section may later be developed into a full directory.

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