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Swinburne University Teaching Period Sem 1 2023 INF60010 Requirements Analysis and Modelling Assignment Case Description © Swinburne University 2023 By Dr. Xuemei Tian Page 1 Printing Incorporated Book Publishing Book Production and Sales Tracking System Contents Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 1 Case Background ...................................................................................................................................... 2 Organization Structure ............................................................................................................................. 4 Information Systems Facilities ................................................................................................................. 4 The current system ................................................................................................................................... 5 The proposed system ............................................................................................................................... 8 Appendix................................................................................................................................................. 13 Introduction The publishing industry has always been linked inexorably to the dissemination of knowledge. Publishing and associated printing activities have relied on long-standing and proven old technologies to provide a definitive linear progression for the creation of content in print form, providing clear implications for business processes and relationships for the various stakeholders. The emergence and development of digital technologies have the potential to provide significant opportunities for publishing in both print and electronic formats, and with advances in electronic commerce, offers the prospect of new value propositions and business models. New digital publishing formats encapsulate a range of characteristics including multiple-option infrastructures, various content formats and viewing modes designed to suit customer requirements, with editing processes and information updates on the server. These innovations all contribute to reductions in processing time with the speedy, efficient transmission of content resulting in economic benefits to relevant stakeholders. However, it must be remembered that even the latest digital tools and applications can only be viewed as enabling mechanisms whose acceptance and implementation must align directly with the business strategy and objectives of organisations. In a book (Martin and Tian 2010), the authors examined trends in digitization against the broader background of change within the book publishing industry. In an industry confronted with an Swinburne University Teaching Period Sem 1 2023 INF60010 Requirements Analysis and Modelling Assignment Case Description © Swinburne University 2023 By Dr. Xuemei Tian Page 2 intimidating array of challenges, digital technology has a lot to offer. The industry response has been uneven and at times hesitant, perhaps understandably in view of lessons learned from the failure of earlier technology initiatives (Martin and Tian 2010). As in the rest of the world, Australian book publishers continue to take a pragmatic approach to technology adoption, governed by both current market conditions and the failure of earlier technologies to deliver the anticipated results. Although content management, CRM (Customer Relationship Management), and SCM (Supply Chain Management) technologies are by now ubiquitous, the most influential technologies currently in use in publishing continue to be the Cloud, big data and AI. However, there is a widespread appreciation of the wider dimension to digitisation and of its potential impacts on organisational structures and strategies. This includes renewed attention to issues of value, and of the potential benefits of providing enhanced customer value through digital content and delivery channels, their consequent implications for changes to value chains, and the emergence of new and transitional business models. One development opportunity that is clearly having an impact upon book publishing is developments in eBooks, audio books and their associated reading devices. eBooks are becoming a publishing reality and are continually growing in importance through the availability of mobile phones. Already they are operating both as an enabler and as potential disruptors and disintermediators in publishing markets. Case Background Printing Incorporated Book Publishing is an independent book publisher located in Melbourne, Australia. It has established itself in the niche market of feminist publications. Though small in size at 50 employees, it is a leader in the growing online publishing industry in Australia. The company sees itself as somewhat of a pacesetter in the field of Internet publishing, audio books and e-books. Printing Incorporated Book Publishing, in 1995 become only the third Australian publisher to have its entire catalogue placed online. Traditionally, aspiring authors had two choices for publishing their work. The preferred option was to convince one of the major book publishers that their work deserved publication. The author Swinburne University Teaching Period Sem 1 2023 INF60010 Requirements Analysis and Modelling Assignment Case Description © Swinburne University 2023 By Dr. Xuemei Tian Page 3 would receive an advance payment, let the publisher absorb the costs of printing and promoting the book, and sit back and wait for the royalty checks. However, mainline publishers accept only a few new manuscripts each year. Authors might face many rejections and never find a willing publisher. The second option for an author was to self-publish through a “vanity press.” In this option, authors would pay for the printing, take delivery of a garage full of books, and do all the promotion themselves. Recent years with the growth of the Internet and devices, a new option has emerged: electronic publishing. An author’s work can be converted to an electronic file that can be read on-screen or printed on a printer. From a website, potential buyers can purchase the file and download it. New devices are being developed, such as book-sized LCD screens that accept downloaded books, to make “e-books” as portable as paper books. eReaders, such as Amazon Kindle, Apple iPad and Google Android are very popular. There are also developments in mobile reading which eBook version for mobile, such as the iPhone version. Because e-books bypass the expense of printing, they can be produced and sold much more cheaply than paper books. All it takes is someone with the expertise to produce quality e-book files and a popular e-book web site. So far as eBooks are concerned, however, Printing Incorporated publisher’s eBooks have been available in four formats: 1. Screen-optimized DRM-free digital editions in PDF format (designed for reading on computers) 2. Printer-optimized DRM-free digital editions in PDF format (designed for printing on customers’ printers) 3. ePub format digital editions, also DRM-free (designed for reading on the iPhone and iPad) 4. MOBI format digital editions, also DRM-free (designed for reading on the Kindle) Printing Incorporated works with authors to turn a manuscript into a polished e-book and maintains an e-commerce site from which people all over the world can buy and download the books. To increase their web presence, Printing Incorporated also maintains a relationship with major book e-commerce sites and online bookstores, such as Amazon to get their books listed on those sites. Printing Incorporated charges authors an upfront fee that is smaller than what a vanity press would Swinburne University Teaching Period Sem 1 2023 INF60010 Requirements Analysis and Modelling Assignment Case Description © Swinburne University 2023 By Dr. Xuemei Tian Page 4 charge. They charge a small commission on each book sale and pass the rest of the sale proceeds on to the author. Printing Incorporated also offers a book promotion service to send out press releases on books for an additional charge to authors. Printing Incorporated does all this from their offices in Melbourne, Australia. They are looking to build a large office building that would combine all employees sometime in 2014. Printing Incorporated had just 10 employees at the time, and 25 employees in year 2018, and now employee numbers have increased to 50. During COVID, the eBook and audio book sells increased dramatically. If such growth continues, they could pass the 100-employee level within the next year or two. Currently there are two offices located closely together in Melbourne: Office A focuses on Production, Resources and Management (e.g., setting up strategy, developing the website, online channel and ebook technologies, HR, promotion and Finance). Office B focuses on Sales and Service (e.g., sales development, Print-on-Demand (POD) services and after-sales service). Organization Structure Printing Incorporated Publishing Information Systems Facilities The information architecture for Printing Incorporated Publishing standardizes on the following: • Employee PCs (one each) – Hewlett Packard Pentium II and Pentium III Class. 64 megabytes of RAM 4-10 GB hard drive Joseph Green President Mary Samson VP Sales Gary Johnson VP Operations Brian Ramsey VP IT & Digital Business Sales Department Promotion & Marketing Department Production Department Finance Department Technical Services Department Digital Department Swinburne University Teaching Period Sem 1 2023