Competitive advantages in EM
Research Questions
Define the competitive advantages in the field and the barriers of entry
Economies of Scale
In terms of traditional textbook imprints for the K-12 sector (but generalizable to the Higher Education sector as well), few alternatives to the same major players can be traced to economies of scale "from paper to printing" favoring large enterprises (Sewall 2005). A nationally competitive company must be "capital intensive" and "full service", meaning "it must offer study guides, workbooks, and technology, along with discounts, premiums, and an array of teacher enticements" (ibid.).
David Wiley argues that colleges might be able to offset the traditional publisher with their own economy of scale:
- "For example, at a larger college, a fee of a few dollars each semester could generate enough revenue to replace a $150 general-education textbook - students might contribute $20 each over their four years and in exchange get to skip purchasing one $150 book. If several colleges and universities across a state system adopted such a fee, the rate of replacement of expensive textbooks could be even faster. And for students who still prefer a printed book to an online text, an inexpensive print-on-demand copy could be made available." (Wiley 2009).
Bibliography for Item 5 in EM
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