Dealing with Disruption

Publishing today requires a presence in local and global markets, and successful publishers can be more effective in reaching both by employing current technology at all stages of the publishing process. Finding the most efficient and profitable business models has become more challenging (and more rewarding) by the same advancements in technology. Michael N. Ross provides a roadmap to the essential aspects of the international publishing industry, from how to develop content that can be easily adapted to other cultures, to establishing relationships and negotiating licensing and co-publishing contracts. As well as showing publishers how to best reach foreign markets and reduce costs by working with overseas suppliers, the book also addresses the maturing of digital publishing and the challenges and opportunities provided by new technologies, especially the 'cloud.' Many publishing models have emerged over the last 10 years, and technology has made the mechanics of publishing in general, and web publishing in particular, easier. Thus, the role of the professional publisher is being challenged, and issues of quality and trust are now competing with easy access to information. Publishing, in all its forms, can be viewed as a conspicuous bellwether for any business that must make strategic and tactical adjustments quickly in order to innovate and grow. Ross applies principles from both consumer and educational publishing to explore publishing's ongoing 'sea change' and its implications for other industries.