Global Publishing Company: Two Features Create Vitality

TRANSWORLD is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BANTAMDOUBLE DAY-DELL, a subsidiary of the German Bertelsmann Publishing Group. Since its establishment in the 1950s, TRANSWORLD has been a part of the modern UK paperback publishing market. The main force.

Two major features to ensure the vitality of the company

In 1950, IAN BALANTINE, founder of BANTAM BOOKS INC., formed Global Publishing in the United Kingdom. Since its inception, Universal Publishing has ensured that it is a sales-oriented publishing house. Since the 1970s, most of the British publishing houses have been edited by the editors to edit and publish their favorite books, not to think that they think that the books can be sold. However, in Global Publishing Company, the function of sales and promotion has always been an indispensable part of the decision-making process. This has become a major feature of the company. Before the new editors take up their posts, they must conduct market research with the sellers. If they stand the test, they will have hope in guiding sales. The tradition of editors of corporate publishing companies directly participating in the market and dealing with key wholesalers and customers has been maintained to this day.

Another feature is that Global Publishing's employees are often recruited from outside the publishing industry. For example, a book salesman was hired from Nestle, and a financial officer was hired from an overseas bank company.

These two features make the company eclectic in the book publishing business and always create passion. One of the more beautiful early shows was the signature activity of the author Mitch Stilas at the Walworth chain store in central London. The event was so successful that it was necessary to close the police to maintain order. The signature book sale activity on this scale has also become a unique feature of Global Publishing. Since then, Universal Publishing Co., Ltd. has achieved great success with the publishing of Rod Russell's "Swasdika's Punishment", followed by Sol Haydall's Adventure.

Timely adjustment of publishing strategies

By 1980, due to the economic downturn, Universal's sales had fallen, costs had soared, and returns had been staggering. However, after similar setbacks, the company had enough experience and preparation. The newly appointed manager took charge of the company and made the necessary cuts. He also implemented a new policy of integrating Universal Publishing Company into a comprehensive three-dimensional hardcover and paperback publishing house.

Traditionally, the paperback book copyright license is affiliated with the parent copyright of the original hardcover publisher, and the initial contract will not exceed 10 years. During the first contract period, the more successful a book, the higher the asking price for renewing the contract when it expires and the higher the cost. "In this case, the frequently sold book becomes a waste asset." In order to solve this problem, Universal Publishing Company has adjusted its development direction and developed in the vertical direction, that is, to build a hardcover publishing house within the company. The major step in implementing this new policy is the merger of the Black Swan Publishing House as an excellent primary school publishing house and the establishment of the Bantam Paperback Publishing House. The two paperback publishers have friendly competition in the market and jointly launch a second-long adult and teenage novels to the United Kingdom and the United States. Global Publishing’s three-dimensional policy was achieved not only by its successful attraction to bestselling writers who had previously only published paperback books, but also by a large number of hardcover authors.

Three elements of business style

First, the relationship between Universal Publishing Company and its US parent company is mutually supportive rather than hierarchical. The publishing, editing, and functional exchanges between London and New York are long-lasting and consultative. They also reflect the extraordinary transnational management style of the Bertelsmann Publishing Group, namely, comprehensive considerations, complementary advantages, and common development. For example, when the company merges and acquires companies, it starts from the overall development layout of global business and avoids duplication. The Group conducts mutual information exchange and consultancy consultation in advance, and all parties' publishing plans and pricing policies are coordinated.

Second, the development of Global Publishing Co., Ltd. is essentially organized. It is basically not made through acquisitions or mergers. Global Publishing Co., Ltd., a consortium of merged companies, has no arbitrariness in editing. Even if a branch wants to decide to publish a specific book, it is a collective work. All the sales and promotion department's strength is to serve the company's publishing project according to the demand.

The third factor is the continued enhancement and impact of Global Publishing's internal sales and promotion function. Although the company's editorial capabilities have grown tremendously in the three-dimensional development process, the sales and promotion department still plays a major role in deciding what to publish and how to publish it. Given the huge cost of advertising and promotion, it is necessary to coordinate the project of the branch to maximize its effectiveness.

Finally, it should be added that Global Publishing also has a management team with strong collective awareness and is a more typical family-owned enterprise. Perhaps it is these "family strengths" that will protect Universal's development and growth in the future.