"The objective of the study is to identify the cost and financing constraints to text book provision and thereby help countries remove constraints on timely provision of affordable textbooks to all students in primary and secondary education. To this end, the study focuses exclusively on cost and fi
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nancing barriers and does not seek to examine other issues associated with textbook provision such as logistics of textbook provision (textbook development, procurement, distribution, storage, etc.), their use in the classroom, or their impact on learning outcomes. To set the stage, the study starts by highlighting textbook availability (chapter 2), summarizes the factors causing textbook scarcity (chapter 3), and reiterates the urgency of addressing the shortages (chapter 4). However, unlike most studies that addressed textbook availability, this study focuses on textbook cost (chapter 5) and financing issues (chapter 6), in an effort to address two questions. First, what is the actual cost of textbooks in the region, and how much scope is there for lowering these costs? Second, what share of education budgets do countries actually allocate to teaching and learning materials (TLM), and what shares would be needed to meet national targets in systems that have achieved affordable unit and system textbook costs? To provide a comparative perspective, chapter 7 discusses experiences with textbook provision in India, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Chapter 8 explores the opportunities offered by digital TLM. Chapter 9 concludes with lessons and recommendations. The study draws heavily on extensive background work undertaken to inform the analysis, conclusions, and recommendations." (Executive summary)
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Publishing for Profit is all about the business side of publishing. It focuses on managerial organization (e.g. defining market niches, budgeting, cash flow) and functional organization strategies and techniques (e.g. editorial process management, sales, subsidiary rights, fulfilment). A special cha
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pter is dedicated to returns, and the expanded fourth edition covers electronic publishing and marketing quite substantially. Clearly written, and with a lot o practical examples, this is an excellent source for the managerial aspects of book publishing.
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"A study commissioned and funded by the South African Department of Arts and Culture. It comprises an investigation of the factors that affect the cost of books in South Africa, conducted in order to identify possible ways in which government, industry members and other stakeholders can work togethe
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r to reduce the cost of books and make books more accessible. The factors that affect the cost of books are dealt with by examining each of the five principal segments of the book value chain separately, namely paper, printing, publishing, distribution, and bookselling, and by furthermore investigating the sector-specific drivers of cost in the following three book market segments: (1) Educational books, comprising books used in primary and secondary education, i.e. books for [South African] Grades 1 - 12; (2) Academic books aimed at the tertiary education sector; and, (3) Trade books, which include both fiction and non-fiction books aimed at the general market." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 1076)
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"This book aims to assist private and state publishers, and NGO publishers operating within young market economies, in understanding how better to handle the financial management of their organizations during a period of rapid change; to develop stronger, larger, more profitable, more valuable organ
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izations; to grasp new opportunities rather than leave entre-preneurs outside the industry to take the initiative for developments and change. The book will discuss the financial management techniques employed by book publishers and by other industries in developed economies. The purpose of this is to illustrate the financial management techniques that may be appropriate and necessary for publishers in the future, and in order to contrast the financial management techniques required in young economies." (Chapter 1: Introduction)
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"A collection of articles by one of Africa's most prolific commentators on the African publishing scene, bringing together his writings on diverse topics, such as autonomous publishing, book marketing and distribution, author-publisher relations, regional cooperation, the World Bank and African publ
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ishing, reading promotion, the inequalities of international copyright, the problems of censorship and government repression, and book marketing and distribution." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 269)
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A compilation of tutor's notes, lesson materials and handouts from training courses conducted by UNESCO and field-tested at courses held in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, and containing a wide variety of illustrations, models, sample forms and charts that can be photocopied or made into OHP slides.
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Topics covered include market and product research, effective selling and sales-team management, sales budgeting, sales of subsidiary rights, creating publicity material, distribution and warehousing, cost and performance control.
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"Based on the findings of a detailed survey of publishers in various parts of the developing world, this classic study identifies the key problems for the book industries in the countries of the South. Offers a general picture of the state of publishing in each of the regions, including Africa, and
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proposes a range of strategies to help strengthen the book sector." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 242)
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