[Ansteorra] Corporate Structure (was Non-Member Surcharge)

[Herb Nowell]

On Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 4:29 PM, L T <ldeerslayer at yahoo.com> wrote:
> For one thing... the differences between Kingdoms...would become greater...and there would be a bigger culture shock to go to say...Gulf War or Pennsic...and...you'd probably have to pay their NMS or become members of the other locally incorporated groups to attend...
>

On what basis do you make this statement?  A wide variety of
activities are organized with separate regional groups and have the
same degree of integration we do.  Also, how is the existence of the
corporation minimizing culture shock.  Much (most, all) of the
Society's culture exists independent of corporate and the biggest
things I can think of that corporate does that maintains uniform
culture isn't included in my membership costs (registry of names and
devices, printing of a unified national publication).  Meanwhile the
biggest things that do keep the culture unified such as large
inter-kingdom events, multi-kingdom interest groups and households,
and interkingdom recognition outside of the three peerages
(specifically the White Scarf treaty) are not products of corporate.

> It would also be easier to wipe out the locally incorporated group with one lawsuit...
> or one incompetent ruler...
>

As opposed to wiping out the entire organization with one lawsuit and
arguably the centralized organization is a better target (larger cash
account).

> I would imagine the administrative costs would probably be greater.You'd have to have file storage fees, cost for administrative personnel, a "store front"...etc... plus all the drama that ensues in establishing those things.
>

Unless these have radically altered at the corporate level since the
mid-nineties issues I doubt a group of WELL RUN kingdom level
corporations would be more expensive that the current international
group.

The drama of breaking up the existing structure, however, would be
serious.  I'm not sure the SCA could easily transition and even an
uneasy would either be instant (like what almost happened in the
mid-90s) or long and drawn out.

However, other similar groups (including the three big boffers LARPS)
are specifically organized in this manner with varying degrees of
"first among equals" status for the founding groups.  While they have
had issues stemming from that structure I would judge them no worse
than those we've had in the SCA, just different.  Actually, as most
are about a decade younger and mostly slower growing prior to the
internet it's been interesting to watch them go through the stages in
grow the SCA did and how each responded to them.

-- 
Herbert H. Nowell

"...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind,
and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for
thee." - John Donne