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- All Subjects: Media
- Creators: Department of Marketing
- Resource Type: Text
- Status: Published
To gain insight into the state of the industry and current position of independent bookstores, I will first examine the past fifty years of the brick-and-mortar bookstore, followed by a Porter’s Five Forces analysis of the industry threats and a SWOT analysis to compare the strengths and weaknesses of independent bookstores. Next, the patrons of independent bookstores will be discussed with a focus on the two largest consumer groups of Millennials and Baby Boomers, their characteristics, and the opportunities they provide to bookstores. After this there will be an exploration of the competitors to brick-and-mortar bookstores, focusing on Amazon and then touching on some of the other rivals to bookstores’ consumer base. The next section will be an in-depth analysis of a variety of bookstores across the United States, with attention to their successful practices, goals, concerns, and failures. First, there will be a comparison of industry success and failure through case studies of Borders and Powell’s bookstores. Next, there will be a comparison of five beloved independent bookstores across the country to share their varied competitive advantages that are the secret to their success. Finally, there are primary source interviews with the employees of three major Phoenix bookstores, which provide insight into the goals, current projects, attitudes, and inner strengths of these businesses. Finally, the thesis will conclude with a section offering solutions and suggestions for independent bookstores to pursue based on the primary and secondary research discussed above. These recommendations are focused on five key areas:
• Community
• Consumers
• Store Design
• Technology
• Diversification
Ultimately, the information provided by this research and these interviews indicates that while vital business changes are being pursued by independent and chain bookstores across the United States, the independent bookstore shows no signs of disappearing in favor of online vendors or e-readers.
Keywords: children, technology, media, apps, families
This project offers an argument that isolates several major forces that it contends pose a critical threat to the endurance of modern American democracy. It evaluates modern and classic political philosophy to identify the prerequisites for a stable democracy, identifying and defining voter education and participation as necessary contributors to civic engagement. It provides a socio-legal framework for evaluating four phenomena that have shifted in their impact on politics over the past 20 years: the roles of money and media in politics, as well as disenfranchisement by gerrymandering and by felon voting restrictions. It demonstrates how each has a new and worsening impact on voter education and/or participation, thus threatening the continued existence of modern American democracy.
The motion picture and television industry is more than just lights, camera, and action. This $2 trillion dollar industry would not be able to function without the business behind the camera. Everything from content distribution, media sales, marketing, accounting, and finance goes into the creation and success of a television show and movie. At Arizona State University, there are currently not enough resources for students pursuing the business behind the motion picture and television industry. With in-depth knowledge and research of the industry, we will provide background on the industry as a whole and then a structured business degree that will be integrated within the W. P. Carey school of business.
The motion picture and television industry is more than just lights, camera, and action. This $2 trillion dollar industry would not be able to function without the business behind the camera. Everything from content distribution, media sales, marketing, accounting, and finance goes into the creation and success of a television show and movie. At Arizona State University, there are currently not enough resources for students pursuing the business behind the motion picture and television industry. With in-depth knowledge and research of the industry, we will provide background on the industry as a whole and then a structured business degree that will be integrated within the W. P. Carey school of business.