Are You the Weakest Link?
A conventional and rudimentary supply chain model might look like this (of course, longer lists of discrete functions and movers can be aggregated):
Function chain: creative + production + marketing + distribution + customer.
Mover chain: author + printer + publisher + librarian + patron.
Process and administrative management is required of all of the functions, but there is also an enterprise function. In a smaller company, it may reside in the hands of a “shirt-sleeve,” or owner-operated publisher who also doubles as editor-in-chief and triples as marketing manager. In a larger company, we find presidents, CEOs, COOs and vice presidents who do not appear in our foregoing models.
- Places:
- New York
- United States
Eugene G. Schwartz is editor at large for ForeWord Reviews, an industry observer and an occasional columnist for Book Business magazine. In an earlier career, he was in the printing business and held production management positions at Random House, Prentice-Hall/Goodyear and CRM Books/Psychology Today. A former PMA (IBPA) board member, he has headed his own publishing consultancy, Consortium House. He is also Co-Founder of Worthy Shorts Inc., a development stage online private press and publication service for professionals as well as an online back office publication service for publishers and associations. He is on the Publishing Business Conference and Expo Advisory Board.