Evaluating Strategic Approaches to Competitive Displacement: The Case of the U.S. Newspaper Industry

The concept of competitive displacement is central to theories of media evolution, and the threat that the Internet has posed to printed newspapers provides an ongoing case study on the topic. In particular, this situation offers an opportunity to examine the strategic efforts of print newspapers to prevent competitive displacement, as well as the effectiveness of these strategies. This article addresses these issues through an analysis of a unique data set, constructed from 20 years of newspaper circulation data, as well as data on local market characteristics, newspaper staffing and content variety, and state-level Internet penetration. Specifically, this article examines whether, and to what extent, these competitive strategies impacted local print newspaper circulation trends over this 20-year time period. This analysis focuses on the following strategic responses: (a) newspapers’ launching of online versions (a diversification strategy within the language of media evolution literature); and (b) newspapers’ efforts to cover a greater variety of subject areas, as measured by the number of editors and special editorial sections produced. (The authors characterize these as a “mimicking” strategy from media evolution literature, as this strategy essentially represents an effort to simulate the much greater content variety that readers can find online). This article examines the relationships between these circulation, strategic, and Internet penetration variables over a 20-year time period, while also taking into account relevant characteristics of local newspaper markets.     

Book reviews

Access Denied in the Information Age edited by S. Lax, Palgrave, 2001, 236 pages, ISBN: 0 333 92019 8, http://www.palgrave.com/

Managing in the Media written by Peter Block (editor), W. Houseley, T. Nicholls, R. Southwell. Focal Press 2001, 388 pages, ISBN 0240515994, http://www.focalpress.com

Mobilising the Information Society: Strategies for Growth and Opportunity written by Robin Mansell and W. Edward Steinmueller, Oxford University Press, 2000, 516 pages, ISBN 0198295561, http://www.oup.com

Electronic Media Law and Regulation 3rd edition written by Kenneth C. Creech, Focal Press, 2000, 336 pages, ISBN 0240803590, http://www.focalpress.com     

Models of the vocational counsellor's work performance: A polish perspective

In the article I describe five models of vocationalcounsellor's work performance or role: (a) an expert,(b) an informant, (c) a consultant, (d) a reliableguardian, and (e) a laissez-faireist. Moreover, Iplace these models along a continuum of counsellingthat is based on the Polish counselling literature. An expert guides the counselee by providing him or herwith ready-made solutions, diagnosing the counselee'sattributes, and matching them with the most``appropriate' vocation. An informant deals mainlywith information about the possibilities of employmentand recommends vocations, which are ``the best' for thecounselee. A consultant treats a counselee as apartner, shows new aspects of activity, and givesinspiration to establish new aims. A reliableguardian treats a counselee as needing strength,suggests new solutions, provides support in makingdecisions, does not impose his or her own opinionunless asked, and does not resign from giving advice. A laissez-faireist accompanies counselee in theprocess of vocational choice, stimulates theacquisition of self-knowledge, and sheds light on theproblem, avoids giving advice.