E-BOOKS vs. P-BOOKS: WHO'S PROFITING?

Abstract

The Internet has had profound effect on changing consumers’ behavioral patterns, not least by making consumers more involved in creating the content and offering products themselves using Internet. Web 2.0 applications as well as latest generation of hardware such as iPads, are enabling Internet users to invent, produce and sell content with more practicality and speed, often completely skipping the need to have them in “hard†format such as printed books, CD’s or DVD’s. This paper will discuss the changes in publishing industry only but also will take into account the changing trend of the economy: from labor & capital intensive to knowledge intensive production. Furthermore, comparisons between traditional paper based books (p-Books) vs. digital based electronic books (e-Books) will be made while analyzing profit and other figures from major surveys, advantages/disadvantages and other issues of comparative importance.Finally, this paper will try to draw what the future holds for both cases (hardcopy/electronic) of the readable materials that people buy to enhance their knowledge.