Bridging the Digital Publishing Divide

LOGOS ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 44-68
Author(s):  
Hal Robinson
Keyword(s):  
International Cooperation ◽  
Publishing Industry ◽  
Digital Publishing ◽  
Cultural Value ◽  
Digital Culture ◽  
Mutual Benefit ◽  
Cultural Divide ◽  
Cultural Processes ◽  
Anthropological Research ◽  
Project Level

Abstract An anthropological view of the publishing industry sees it as a culture with its own assumptions and patterns, in which publishing companies are macro-communities associated with micro-communities of readers. Anthropology sees ‘digital culture’ in a comparable way. Awareness of the cultural characteristics of publishing as a culture and of digital culture can turn their differences into synergies that benefit both. Examples from anthropological research and from publishing show that some processes are comparable. One is the process in which material value is transformed into cultural value, with the benefit of increasing the cohesion of a community. Another occurs when communities interlink their cultural processes in cultural–commercial ecosystems, to mutual benefit. Anthropological insights suggest how strategies, at project level and at the level of international cooperation, can bridge the cultural divide between traditional publishing values and digital opportunities and so help businesses survive and succeed in times of change.

Predictors of e-publishing adoption in environments of uncertainty

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Chukwunonye Ifeduba
Keyword(s):  
Copyright Protection ◽  
Predictive Value ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Publishing Industry ◽  
Innovation Adoption ◽  
Digital Publishing ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Education Industry ◽  
Shed Light

Purpose Many developing environments are characterised by uncertainties and research on how these uncertainties impact development in different industries is on-going. However, there is hardly any empirical examination of how this phenomenon impacts innovation adoption in the publishing industry, notwithstanding that the education industry largely depends on publishing. This study aims to interrogate this phenomenon with a view to describing clearly the factors that influence e-publishing innovation adoption in environments of uncertainty. Design/methodology/approach E-publishing data were collected from 79 websites whereas 109 firms filled out a questionnaire both online and offline. Four interviews were conducted and data were analysed using the SPSS to compute frequencies, percentages and correlates of digital publishing innovation adoption. Findings Book piracy and curriculum uncertainty were found to play greater influential roles in the adoption of e-publishing; and though they both correlated positively with e-publishing adoption, only book piracy has a significant predictive value in the adoption of e-publishing. Originality/value The results of this study shed light on the predictors of digital publishing adoption and should help interested publishers and scholars in environments of uncertainty to understand why efforts should be intensified to pursue copyright protection and enforcement.

scholarly journals Information Fusion Algorithm for Big Data in Digital Publishing Industry Chain

Complexity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Haixiang He
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Information Integration ◽  
Publishing Industry ◽  
Population Analysis ◽  
Digital Publishing ◽  
Fusion Algorithm ◽  
Industry Chain ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Specific Regulation ◽  
Knowledge Services

This paper studies the information of big data in the digital publishing industry chain and adopts advanced algorithms for its fusion calculation. The basic theory of digital publishing ecological chain is dissected, the construction requirements, construction methods, and construction paths of digital publishing ecological chain are analysed, and feasible construction measures are proposed. It also defines the connotation of the fusion of knowledge services between publishing institutions and libraries in the digital era; then analyses the characteristics and principles of the fusion of knowledge services between publishing institutions and libraries in the digital era; and finally sorts out the theoretical foundations such as synergy theory, information integration service theory, and game theory. Meanwhile, this paper also studies the flow of digital publishing resources and empirically analyses the eco-efficiency of digital publishing eco-chain by using metabolic network analysis, population analysis, and life cycle analysis, and it finds the eco-efficiency problems of the existing e-book eco-chain from its analysis. Finally, the imbalance in the digital publishing ecological chain and its hazards are analysed, and specific regulation and optimization measures are proposed. The research in this paper makes up for the deficiencies of related studies and can well solve the problems that exist in the previous and provide theoretical support for the healthy development of digital publishing enterprises.

scholarly journals Transformations and Mutations of the Chinese Language Publishing Field in the Digital Age

MANUSYA ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-112
Author(s):  
Yu-Ching Lee
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Cultural Production ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Publishing Industry ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Chinese Language ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Digital Publishing ◽  
Reading Habits ◽  
The West

In the traditional publishing arena, the publishing fields around the world all operate according to a fixed value chain system, which has been in operation ever since the existence of the publishing industry over 500 years. Now the publishing industry is going through a transition period toward digitization, which has overwhelmed not only the entire system but the entire publishing field. In this digital age, publishing houses in the West have carried on with their conventional model of value chains and have established a comprehensive digital publishing system. But in Chinesespeaking regions, due to factors such as market traits, consumer reading habits, publishing policies and consumption habits which are vastly different from those in the West, the Western system of digital publishing is not applicable. This study analyzes the Chinese language publishing field by interviewing Cross- Straits publishing experts. The aim is to examine the differences between the publishing structure of Chinese-speaking regions (specifically mainland China and Taiwan), the typical publishing field in the West, and the traditional paper-based publishing field which has existed for hundreds of years. The result shows that Taiwan follows the Western e-publishing model. However, because of the differences in market size and reading habits, the e-publishing model is not applicable in Taiwan. China, on the other hand, has developed its own system called “Internet Literature” in accordance with readers’ reading preferences and habits. Moreover, this model uses the intellectual property to extend the value of publications by transforming literature texts into other forms of cultural production. This publishing business model is carried out by big Internet companies such as Tencent, Baidu, rather than by publishers. These mutations of Internet literature content have really challenged the Chinese state-regulated publishing system, and have become the foundations of a successful business model. This development in China has challenged the conventional definition of publishing, as literature has been a symbol of highbrow civilization whereas Internet Literature is more a symbol of uncultured entertainment.

The State of Publishing in East Africa

LOGOS ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 23-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiarie Kamau
Keyword(s):  
East Africa ◽  
Publishing Industry ◽  
Book Publishing ◽  
Digital Publishing ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
The State ◽  
East African ◽  
African Region ◽  
African Countries ◽  
East African Region

The main aim of this paper is to examine the state of publishing in East Africa. It also attempts to review the situation in Malawi and Zambia, where the author has had practical experience in publishing and marketing. The paper focuses on the growth of the publishing industry in the East African region and how this growth has impacted on access to textbooks and trade publications. It demonstrates that there has been significant growth in the industry, especially in Kenya and Uganda. However, this growth has largely been in the area of publishing of textbooks. Funding for the rollout of curricula in the East African countries has been a blessing to publishers because the funding includes allocations for textbook purchases for both primary and secondary schools. However, this kind of publishing has sounded something of a death knell for the publication of general books such as novels and biographies. The paper also demonstrates that indigenous book-publishing firms have gained a stronger foothold in East Africa in the last ten years and edged out the multinationals. It concludes by indicating that unless the publishing model changes, general publishing will continue to be relegated to the back-burner. At the same time, publishers are challenged to embrace digital publishing, since that is where the future of publishing lies.

scholarly journals Who survives a recession? Specialization against diversification in the digital publishing industry

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Mangani ◽  
Elisa Tarrini
Keyword(s):  
Mass Media ◽  
Publishing Industry ◽  
Empirical Relationship ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Digital Publishing ◽  
Digital Native ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Probability Of Survival ◽  
Legal Forms ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the empirical relationship between specialization, diversification and rate of survival in the digital publishing industry. The sample includes all publishing companies in Italy that produce electronic content and distribute it through internet platforms. Design/methodology/approach The first part of the paper discusses the pros and cons of specialization against diversification, and applies the related economic theories to the digital publishing industry. The empirical work regarding the factors that affect firm survival is reviewed. The second part is empirical and analyzes the diversification strategies of 2,838 Italian digital editors between 1995 and 2014, and the impact of diversification on the probability of survival. Findings On the whole, digital publishing companies that are also active in traditional print activities have been constantly declining. However, those who combine print and digital activities or operate other mass media businesses have a higher probability of surviving in the market. These findings hold controlling for firm size and market structure, before and after the economic crisis exploded in 2009, in different geographical areas and by different legal forms of publishing companies. Research limitations/implications As the industry often presents country-specific characteristics, the econometric analysis should also be integrated with case studies that highlight particular survival conditions. Practical implications The study provides mass media scholars as well as practitioners with detailed information on the digital publishing trends in the medium term. Originality/value This research is significant because, in the period under review, many digital native entrepreneurs with scarce experience entered the industry, targeted digital native consumers/readers and challenged traditional and established media conglomerates.

A Study of E-Book Readability

2012 ◽  
Vol 262 ◽  
pp. 227-230
Author(s):  
Meng Tsung Tai ◽  
Chia Kai Lin ◽  
Zou Ren Ke ◽  
Pi Yu Chen
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Publishing Industry ◽  
Publishing House ◽  
Market Value ◽  
Digital Publishing ◽  
Chief Editor ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
Interview Methods ◽  
Production Value ◽  
Proper Consideration

Due to the popularity of the Internet and portable readers, the digital publishing market was highly developing. A study from Displayban showed that digital publishing had a market value of 13 billion U.S. dollars and had increased 68 percent of production value compared to that in 2010 globally. Meanwhile, the production value of e-book readers had a market share of 80 percent to the whole digital publishing market. However, reading and manipulating a traditional printed book and an e-book were tremendously different. The design and layout of an e-book definitely affected the readability. Therefore, how to increase e-book readability was a topical concern in digital publishing industry. A content analysis and an in-depth interview methods were adopted in the study. The content analysis aimed to analyze the best-selling car e-magazine, Car News, regarding to its readability. The in-depth interview was to consult the chief editor of the publishing house to understand readability strategies and rules applied in its e-book products. Finally, after the reliability test of encoders passed, and the results from e-book content analysis and in-depth interview were comprehensively compared in every aspects of readability. The conclusions were that the traditional rigorous book layout design principles, such as indent, column, paragraph style, typography, etc. should be applied onto e-books to provide a better readability. Meanwhile, too many interactive or multimedia objects can reduce readability. Although, editors and experts from digital publishing industry were all agree with this, but most of current e-books indeed had too many interactive or multimedia objects. Nevertheless, multimedia and interaction objects were the most important features of e-books in spite of less readability. In short, based on the study and trade off the readability of e-books, publishing companies should not import multimedia and interactive objects deliberately. On the contrary, based on the book content, multimedia or interactive objects could be applied with a proper consideration to achieve their characteristics and strengths. By doing this, subjects of e-book could be emphasized and readability can be remained as well.

scholarly journals Digital Piracy, Creative Productivity, and Customer Care Effort: Evidence from the Digital Publishing Industry

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaolin Li ◽  
Chenxi Liao ◽  
Ying Xie
Keyword(s):  
Publishing Industry ◽  
Digital Publishing ◽  
Digital Piracy ◽  
Publishing Firm ◽  
Customer Care ◽  
Creative Productivity ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Copyright Piracy

This study empirically examines the effect of copyright piracy reduction on writers’ creative productivity and customer care efforts using data from a digital publishing firm.

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