The employment structure

Shifting within the employment structure seems to be an important economical factor in publishing industry. The vast part of the job can be outsourced in order to reduce costs and new job’s functions emerge due to the digital revolution that requires skills and knowledge never seen before, i.e. project developers, who undertake testing and content development within the platforms, and liaise with external developers; digital project managers, and digital publishers who bring a special knowledge of the specific requirements of publishing in digital formats to a more general knowledge of the area they publish in. Of course, apart from those specific job’s positions anyone who works within the industry has to be aware of the digital environment (Horne 2011). Catching up with the shifting publishing world is essential for everyone who is interested in a book trade. In addition, it would be difficult for publishers to find a good employee with a high level of technological expertise for wages which they can afford to offer. This would probably lead to the vast evaluation of business structure. There is a need of training for current employees as well as of new contracts for recruiting new staff (Davis and Balkwill 2011, passim). In the future, a better paid and more qualified employee will bring in a better profit to the company. It can be a truism but sound investments in this field should become crucial. It can directly affect us (publishing students), as potential employees. On the one hand, it gives us more opportunities to find a job within the industry because of emerging new roles, but on the other, it requires more technical skills and makes the business even more competitive.

Horne, A. E-mail interview. 6 Jan. 2012

Davis, G. and Balkwill R. (2011). The Professionals’ Guide to Publishing: a practical introduction to working in the publishing industry. London: Kogan Page Limited