Producers Motives and Interests Engaging Users and Producers The Danish Model

Jens Viggo Moesmand B.Sc, B.Com, systems engineer, instructor Keywords: –Acoustics, Environment –Publishing, Technical training, Reading ability BFU, Danish Educational Suppliers Association

The Danish Model The stakeholders –Publishers –The database owner, i.e. government –Other (e.g. librarians) –Teachers The control –Publishers and Government

Historically Long, long ago: public After an effort to save public money –Private, paper based catalogues –Financed by the publishers Recent initiative from Government –All data handed over –Public funding –Mutual control

The Foundation A repository for (mainly) paper based products with approximately titles A legal contract between –“All” publishers (i.e. association members) –Regional information services Physical presence of most books and materials at service centers –Later: also other educational objects

The Database Owner Engaging users on –Learning materials –Museums –Other topics by natural growth Advertising Fairs

Fairs in Denmark –2 Regional, for teachers in general –1 IT-focused conference Hard to reach –Colleges and University Colleges Prizes as quality mark –New stars

Quality for users Perceived quality Metadata Number of objects –Critical mass –Obtained initially from publishers Searching facilities

The Aarhus findings Assistance for production of metadata Involvement of –Editors and Publishers –Trusted users and Ordinary users Automatic generation Screening for metadata

The Food Chain Involvement on behalf of the publisher –Author (-s) –Editor (-s) –Evaluator (-s) –User (-s) Producers –Professional = Publishers –Non-professional

Concerns IPR for non-professional products –Violations of IPR –The Repository Owner Assuming responsibility –Screening for IPR Non-pro separate part of the repository –Anyone can be labeled professional, i.e. –Anyone may join the professional section

Repository quality criteria Origin of objects Number of objects –Critical mass Facilitate choice –What kind of metadata –Access to samples –Pricing

Sustainability Maintenance of descriptions Effort –Costs –Availability Purpose –Sufficiency –Backlog

Publishers motivation Commercial and Altruistic Promote sales –Marketing strategies Internet, general as in Google Internet, specific as in Repository Competition, as in Homepage Bottom line –Income is a precondition

Publishers approach Different positions –Large and small players –New and old players –Product characteristics Paper It

Once Upon a Time  Difficult market access –High entrance threshold Market Communication –Slow growth Production scale –Law of the Large Numbers

The IT Revolution  Immediate market access –Low thresholds –Limited costs for small productions E-books Print-on-demand On-line Quality assurance ?

Larger Players  A Danish duopoly ? Have spent a lot but sell too little Are open to diversified strategies –All channels are used –Remain present in official catalogues Active support for the repository ?

Smaller players Niche and Upcoming  Want a low cost solution Common solution advantageous –piggy backing May not be aware of –Existence of solutions –Conditions for using the solutions

Organizational Approach Publishers –BFU and F Regional information centers –Contract Inform new producers about the repository Government –UNI-C

Approval - Certification Curricular products – “Fælles Mål” –Systems –New ideas –Niche products Extracurricular products –New ideas –Niche products

 The Smiley Syndrome ”Proactive” Retrospective Professionals ? Social networking –Evaluator’s qualification –Evaluator’s horizon

Smiley, part two  Review, “professional” –Quality assurance ! –Lack of time –Limited practical experience with product –Insufficient theoretical knowledge Bias

Smiley, part three  –Retrospective Bias Insufficient theoretical knowledge Appeal possibilities –Real value Practical value in different educational situations

Smiley, part four  Publishers information –Praise –Bias –Knowledge Long term credibility

Perceived Quality Product quality for end-users –Access to links or samples Marketing quality for producers –Underestimation of possibilities –Updating Product Availability Price

Conclusions

Motivation Market communication Market intelligence –as in “market information” Higher market share Better sales

Bottom Line Promotion of sales Better results on the market Competitive advantage   