New Zealand Book Publishing: Industry Development Issues

Last Updated: March 2004

Released in March 2004, this report is a companion study to a larger report by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, released in January 2004. It looks in more detail at the economic development and export development issues facing the NZ book publishing industry as well as potential strategies to address these, and should be referenced in conjunction with the Ministry of Culture and Heritage's report.

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• Table of contents
• View conclusions  
• Media release
• Exports of New Zealand Published Books: report by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage

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>> New Zealand Book Publishing (PDF, 756KB)

Sections

Cover Page, Abstract and Table Of Contents (PDF, 191KB)

1.0 Introduction (PDF, 132KB)

2.0 Database and Industry Profile (PDF, 68KB)

3.0 Findings (PDF, 270KB)

4.0 Conclusions (PDF, 154KB)

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Table Of Contents

1 Introduction

1.1 Study brief

1.2 Study design

2 Database And Industry Profile

2.1 Staffing

2.2 Founding Date

2.3 Publications

2.4 Turnover

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3 Findings

3.1 Industry Structure

3.2 Factors critical to the development of New Zealand-owned publishing companies

3.2.1 Size of the businesses

3.2.2 Process related factors

3.2.3 Industry needs and limitations

3.2.4 Success factors for leading publishing houses

3.2.5 Business lifecycle and critical stages of development

3.2.6 Potential for improvement of individual companies and clusters

3.3 Development assistance

3.3.1 Business support needs of the industry and the appropriateness of Industry New Zealand’s programmes in meeting these needs

3.3.2 Role of the Frankfurt Book Fair

3.3.3 Issues associated with book publishers’ relationships with printers and distributors

3.4 NZ domestic market share in consumer (trade), educational and professional books

3.5 The provision of electronic learning programmes in both New Zealand and offshore markets by companies producing educational and professional books

3.6 Markets for New Zealand educational and trade publishing and their level of export engagement

3.7 Education and skill requirements, including up-skilling existing personnel with new and innovative digital tools

3.8 The role of tertiary institutions for meeting the needs of the industry

3.9 The demand for interactive content

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4 Conclusions

4.1 Proliferation of micro businesses

4.2 Lack of marketing capability the prime block to growth

4.3 Specialisation succeeds

4.4 "Low-brow" is what sells

4.5 Build on existing strengths