Amazon.com's Kindle: Publishing Industry's iPod?

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Themes: Strategy
Pub Date : 2009
Countries : US
Industry : Services

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Case Code : INA0111
Case Length : 25 Pages
Price: Rs. 200;

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Impact of Technology: e-Readers vs Publishing Industry cont...

The invention of printing brought in a radical change that extended the scope of written word. In the 6th century AD, Chinese invented the process of printing known as block printing. In the 11^th century AD, they invented movable type woodblock printing, but did not exploit it fully. Analysts opine that, "Chinese innovations in ink, block printing and movable clay type all fed the technological push toward expanding the written word's range of influence."⁹ The usage of paper spread from China to the Islamic world and finally reached Europe in the 12th century.

In Europe, rapid cultural change fueled a growing need for cheap production of written documents. Though printing had its roots in China, it was in Germany that the major breakthrough in printing took place. In the year 1450, Johannes Gutenberg (Gutenberg), a jeweler in Mainz, Germany, identified enormous business potential in book publishing. He invented a movable metal type for printing books (Books printed during that time were mostly paperback) making printing of books much easier.¹⁰

The invention of the printing press ushered in a new trend of mass communication. It helped to disseminate ideas and information to a large and far-ranging audience who were literates emphasizing on exchange of knowledge. Printing thus became a part of Renaissance and Reformation in Europe.

Between the 16th and 18th centuries, the demand for books increased its market, due to the growth in the literacy rates. Education that was earlier confined exclusively to the clergy was being imparted to the emerging middle class. Book trade flourished well and the publishers benefitted. However, in the 19th century, free public libraries came into being. Many publishers feared that this trend would end the book trade, but on the contrary, it picked up vigorously as the libraries acted as a steady market for books. The cost burden of paperback compelled the market to sell hard bound books that were lesser in price, triggering its sales. As a result, by the end of the 19th century, paperback books were replaced by hardbound books.

The first half of the 19^th century was the era of mass production of books and magazines. The invention of cylinder press in France paved way for bulk production of books catering to the growing demand of readers. The popularity of books thus paved way for the growth of publishing houses.

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9]"Printing: History and Development", http://karmak.org/archive/2002/08/history_of_print.html
10]Cope Bill and Mason Dean, "The Changing Business of Manufacturing Words", Digital Book Production and Supply Chain Management, Common Ground Publishing, 2001, page 1