Business Model Sustainability in Book Publishing

In an earlier paper (Tian and Martin in Publ Res Q 27(3):230?C246, 2011) we identified ongoing developments in business models for book publishing consequent upon changes in such areas as those of organizational structure and culture, technology, publishing and the marketplace. However, it was already clear that book publishing, like every other industry would have to face up to the incipient challenges posed by the growing global phenomena of organizational sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Clearly this would require a response of a different order than before, not least in view of the greatly expanded range of potential factors involved. Our treatment of sustainability addresses two main themes: sustainability in the context of global concerns about resource depletion and destruction of the biosphere, and organizational sustainability in the at times adversarial relationship between profit seeking and good corporate citizenship. This paper begins with a look at some of the key terminology around sustainability in order to reinforce its relevance and applicability to the publishing industry. This necessarily limited treatment is confined to four key concepts namely: corporate sustainability, corporate social responsibility, corporate governance and corporate measurement and reporting. We then present some evidence for industry response to the principles and practical challenges of sustainability and relate these to implications for the design of appropriate business models. Finally we model the ongoing process of business model innovation for sustainability in book publishing.     

Development and evaluation of computer‐assisted assessment in higher education in relation to BS7988

A university‐wide project team of academic and administrative staff worked together to prepare, deliver and evaluate a number of diagnostic, formative and summative computer‐based assessments. The team also attempted to assess the University of Southampton's readiness to deliver computer‐assisted assessment (CAA) within the Code of practice for the use of information technology in the delivery of assessments (British Standards Institution, 2002 British Standards Institution (BSI). 2002. BS7988: 200—code of practice for the use of information technology in the delivery of assessments, London: British Standards Institution.  [Google Scholar]). Evaluation data was used formatively to improve procedures during the project and summatively in preparing the project's final report, this publication and future support for CAA at Southampton. Some of the problems encountered during this pilot programme were anticipated, both by the project team and by BS7988; but they were not necessarily or entirely avoidable given the nature of control and management in an academic environment. Our approach was to encourage institutional learning via extensive dissemination and discussion of the results. To contribute to the public debate on the adoption of BS7988, we highlight difficulties in allocating responsibility for various aspects of the assessment process and make a number of recommendations about this and other practical issues.