30144 - WORKSHOP IN FROM PAGE TO BIT: THE EVOLUTION OF THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY

The course "From paper to bit" analyses the transformation of different industries that have paper as the traditional medium to transfer content: books, magazines and newspapers. Through a rich and diverse series of examples in the three industries, students:

By the end of the program, students are able to understand the structural characteristics of an industry, the evolution of companies within industries, the impact of technological change on industry structure, company strategy, company organizational structure, product configuration.

The course will provide participants with the essential conceptual tools to understand the specificities of information industry chains within cultural industries. The course will cover the following topics:

• Part A: the transformation of context in which content producers operate
• Part B: the impact on offering configuration
• Part C: the consequences for strategy and performances of companies

The course provides 6 credits.

The course provides 6 credits. Attendance is not compulsory, but is strongly recommended, as the program will be highly interactive. Students are expected to be familiar with the tools used to assess industry attractiveness and competitive advantage.

As you may notice from the program, the course is rich in examples and cases. It is extremely important that you come to class having read the case and ready to discuss it, as cases more than theory will be the core elements through which collective learning will take place. Also, publishing and news industries are undergoing very rapid changes. So, you are encouraged to do individual research on the topics.

For students attending the course, the exam will consist of:

• a final individual exam (40%)
• a written mini assignment on specific questions who will be prepared in pairs randomly created (20%)
• a group project to be presented the last two sessions (40%).

Faculty will reserve the right to give up to 3 points for active class participation.

For students not attending the course, the exam will consist on a written test accounting for 100% of the total grade. Failure to participate to the project or to hand in the assignment automatically qualifies the student as non attendant, even if students were physically in class during the semester. Attending students may opt to become non attending students if thy clearly mark on their final their status.

The final exam will consist on comment on an article. The final will be evaluated according to the following dimensions:

• ability to contextualise the issue
• reference to theory
• variety of examples covered
• style

The mini assignment is either a written comment to a case discussed in class or an extra work on some cases starting from what has been discussed in class. In both cases, you are required to do some search and benchmark on very specific issues. The assignment tests students’ analytical skills. It has to be a max 3 pages single spaced word file with the answer to (a) specific question(s). Assignments on cases have to be mailed to simone.autera@unibocconi.it before the date of the discussion in class. Assignments on extra cases are due on specified dates. Please note: when sending the file make sure to write 30144 as the object of your email.

Project. Students will be divided into groups and will work on one of the projects proposed. Projects are de facto consulting projects and very entrepreneurial in nature. If you ever would like to work in any cultural or creative industry you better be prepared to be at the same time rigorous in terms of your ability to execute and very entrepreneurial in the way you address and solve problems, understanding very well the cultural milieu in which projects develop. The aim of the project is to test your ability to frame projects, to interact with a customer, to provide viable solutions, taking into consideration. The proposal will be presented to the class at the end of the semester. Half of the grade will be assigned by faculty and half by peers.

Active class participation does not equate with mere presence in class. The industries we are studying are in continuous transformation and there is a wealth of material being published on the topics that we will be addressing. People showing interest and active contribution in the interest of collective as well as individual learning will be rewarded.

Students attending the course

• Final written essay: 40%
• Project: 40% (20%+20%)
• Assignment: 20%
• Faculty evaluation: Up to 3 points

Students not attending the course

• Written essay: 100%

For non attending students 

• Materials available on Bocconi e-learning.
• Reading package.

Exam textbooks & Online Articles (check availability at the Library)

Last change 25/03/2014 15:30