Random house case - Assignment Example

Random House Case Do a Porters Five Forces analysis for the book publishing industry It is the absolute desire of every organization to succeed in whichever activities they engage in. Ideally, with the application of Porter’s five forces, many generations have been shaped both in business practice and in academics. Porter’s five forces include threat of new entrants, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, rivalry among existing competitors, and threat of substitute product or service.

First Random house is considering consolidation with Book Group, which ideally reduces rivalry competition among the existing publishers. There is also the aspect of buyers buying in large volumes and hence the publisher having to provide discounts on the customers. This aspect points towards Porter’s force of the bargaining power of the buyers, which contributes to the lowered prices for the book publishing industry. The threat of new entrants into the industry has increased, an aspect contributed to by substantive increase in technology.

It is evident that currently any person with an internet connection and a distribution channel is as good as a publisher already. This is ideally a great force into the industry. A majority of other publishers have also alternatives to various reading materials that are substitute to those from the publishing houses. In addition to suppliers who bargain for price reduction as a result of increased new entrants into the industry, happen to be forces in the publishing industry as stated in Porter’s five forces analysis. 2. What are the merits to consolidation in book publishing?

How large or small are these benefits? Consolidation is an aspect of substantive importance in the book publishing industry. Ideally, contrast to many people’s opinions about consolidation in the book publishing industry, basing the arguments that it cuts back on creativity, the aspect is actually of numerous merits. Through consolidation, two or more publishers are able to cut costs on their publishing works, as the two are able to bring together the operational costs. Additionally, consolidation plays a crucial role in providing opportunities for new writers into the industry as well as provides a ready market for them, based on the perspective that the new writers are incorporated into an already existing market established by the publisher already established in the industry.

Considering the above perspectives, it is evident that the benefits associated with consolidation in the book publishing industry are enormous and of substantive benefit to the new entrants in the industry. 3. What are Random Houses 5 elements of strategy? Random House has different elements of strategy that it requires to apply in order to enable it enhance its performance in the book publishing industry. One of the elements that Random House has in plans is that of consolidation. Through consolidation, Random House will be able to reduce its associated costs, which increases profitability.

Another element of strategy is that of providing discounts to their buyers who publish books in large volumes. This aspect is important in expanding its market. Merger and integration is also another element of strategy that Random House is applying for success. By bringing different publishing houses together under a single company, there is the possibility that the publishing houses are able to re-strategize and change structures, enabling for the elimination of non-core divisions as well as close down unprofitable in-prints.

Random House applies the merger and integration element of strategy for the increment of profits. The final element of strategy is establishment of better coordination in place of competition. Competition is very stiff in the book publishing industry and for one to emerge successful, it is important that other strategy other than concentrating on competition is applied. On this perspective, Random House has enhanced its coordination strategy, which enables it to build better infrastructures to counter the competition. 4. What are the main benefits to Random House from being part of a corporate parent like Bertelsmann?

The main benefits for Random House as part of corporate parent like Bertelsmann is that there is usually a ready market for the sale of the products they produce as well as reduction of costs associated with the production. There is also the aspect of increased accuracy in the production of products and service delivery. Finally, there is also the aspect of a faster turnaround in terms of sales. 5. What are the most salient threats to Random House’s business? What steps can Peter Olson take to mitigate or address these threats?

The most salient threats to Random House’s business are increased technological development and stiff competition from other competitors in the book publishing industry. The best steps that Peter Olson can take to mitigate or address these threats are that he can consolidate Random House with other publishers in the industry. This will reduce unnecessary competition from the other publishers. Additionally, Olson can work on advancement of technology for Random House to curb the increased technological variance between the other industrial players.