The Future of Book Publishing: Seven Technology Trends and Three Industry GoalsDanet, Pierre
doi: 10.1007/s12109-014-9373-4pmid: N/A
The Publishing Industry, as many other ones, is facing all the risks and opportunities linked to a digital transformation. This text provides new dimensions for analyzing seven technological trends and their potential impacts on the book publishing industry. The key consideration is that book publishing is totally dependent on Open Web Platform future. In such an agile environment, the publishing industry should focus on three key objectives in order to keep or even extend its influence on the internet world.
I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke: One Culture Via Apps and Global AdvertisingGould, Thomas
doi: 10.1007/s12109-014-9371-6pmid: N/A
Global cultures are merging into one culture. What has been a difference in cultures that has existed for several millennia may be gone by the end of this century, possibly much sooner. Okay, you might be thinking, how? Ah, there’s the rub! For in order that multiple cultures will disappear, languages must merge, religions must disappear, governments must change, and all the other elements that constitute unique cultures must melt together into a singular pull-down menu bar or an easily updated app-driven hand-held (if not much smaller) device. So much of that is already happening that it is hard to claim much insight with much certainty. This article seeks to examine the roles of each—culture, applications, and advertising—in the change in the way we, as individuals, shift our own societies, our own communication. Yes, that’s a lot to cover in these few pages. Let’s consider this as adding to the multitude of researchers struggling with might be best described as a start in the conversation.
A Different Way to Get to a Better Bottom Line in PublishingHughes, Boris
doi: 10.1007/s12109-014-9364-5pmid: N/A
Considerable changes are taking place in the publishing industry, and to survive publishers cannot sit back and wait for the changes to take effect. With e-books supposedly pulling ahead in the publisher’s race, the publishing industry must revise its business models to adjust to new demands. While e-books are attractive, print is still the major revenue engine within the world of publishing, and digital print is the future. Considering the entirety of the supply chain, it can be seen that digital book printing books saves money, supports more titles and increases efficiency. There is a different way to get a better bottom line, and publishers must consider the whole value chain, not just the unit price.
Neutrality of VAT Rates Under European Law: All Books are Created Equal, but Some are More Equal than Others?Linklater, Emma
doi: 10.1007/s12109-014-9374-3pmid: N/A
EU law currently distinguishes ‘physically embodied’ books and e-books for value added tax purposes, even where their content is the same. This article explores the legal root of that difference and, employing the principle of ‘fiscal neutrality’ (a subset of equal treatment) it aims to shed light on the current cases pending before the Court of Justice of the EU against France and Luxembourg for their unilateral reductions in e-book rates. The last part of this article looks at another area of physical and e-book divergence, first sale, and considers what an equality based approach could have to say about this.
An Architecture of CollaborationO’Leary, Brian
doi: 10.1007/s12109-014-9369-0pmid: N/A
The market for reading is expanding significantly, but the gains are seen almost entirely outside the prevailing supply chain. Fixed on the creation, management and sale of physical and digital objects, publishers view other forms of writing and reading as potential threats to their established markets. To take advantage of market growth, publishers need to rethink traditional models and develop an “architecture of collaboration”, exploring ways to engage with companies and communities to find new sources and uses of what was once just book content.