She was the first woman to be made a principal here, and it was a good decision.Ī principal or partner has a definite financial interest in the firm and is actively engaged in business development. She was prepared to quit after years of being overlooked, and this was used as a preventive measure. It was to assure one architect that she would eventually be elevated to principal. This firm has only conferred the title of associate once in 55 years. It signifies that a person represents the firm's ideals and helps further its goals. In the professional world, associate is normally a half-way house to partnership or ownership of some kind. Principal for the most part has always meant one who had a financial interest in the firm used when firm was not a partnership of a fixed number of partners- although they really were Principals too. It was with a basic intention of giving added status, perhaps some responsibility and leading one to becoming a member of the firm Previously, as John alluded to, Associate was a "promotion" device, when one served enough time and had performed as Project Architect or Job Captain. This is true, too in other venues like even WalMart, where the word employee or staffer seem to have fallen out of favor. In our firm all staffers are called Associates, even those in clerical and administrative positions. The word and implication of Associate has changed in recent years. In the seven firms I've worked for in my career, only one gave associates particular duties, responsibility and authority. In other words, it's primarily an honorific. However, Associates do not have any authority in specific areas outside of their regular duties, nor do they meet as a group. As one advances to Associate, Senior Associate and finally Principal one is expected to take more responsibilities within projects and the firm generally. Would anyone be willing to share their company’s definition and/or responsibilities of a "principal" and the definition/responsibilities of an "associate"?Īssociates here do not have any particular responsibilities that come with the title. 4specs Discussion Forum: Principal versus associateĬonstruction Contract Administration Discussions »
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