World book publishing: lessons for Ukraine

Abstract

Background. Book publishing in Ukraine is characterized by negative tendencies. Low competitiveness of the domestic book publishing causes need in researching of factors and ways of activation of book publishing activity.
The aim of the article is to research the tendencies of book publishing development of developed countries of the world which define the competitiveness of book publishing, revealing of ways of rising of the effectiveness of publishing activity in Ukraine on the base of world experience.
Materials and methods. General scientific methods, theory of public administration, tabular and economics and statistics methods for research of tightness of the bond between GDP indicators and the amount of output, methods of expert evaluation of factors of competitiveness were used.
Results. The common problems of world book publishing are growth of the expenses on implementation of production and sales activity in the result of reducing of circulation and increase of prices on consumable materials, diminishing of the interest to book products and reading due to lack of free time, expanding of alternative ways of entertainment; the growth of expenses on preparation of electronic books; illegal usage of publishing production. With an aim to solve existing problems and providing of national culture development measures of governmental regulation of publishing business are realized in many countries of the world.
In Ukraine it is introduced only by middle and small enterprises, publishing unions are absent. Ukrainian publishing bodies realize the activity on the separate thematic segments of market, at the same time they realize projects connected with the use of informational resources. The example of Ukrainian media company which chose vertical integration is closed joint-stock company «Holding Company «Blits-Inform». The biggest domestic media holding which makes horizontal integration in publishing activity is UMH Group. The main part of the portfolio of other Ukrainian media holdings (StarLightMedia, InterMediaGroup, 1+1 Media, Media Group Ukraine) includes TV assets, owners of which are interested in receiving of informational media resource but not the income. Foreign publishing corporations in Ukraine are presented by some Russian (in particular, «Makhaon» and «Eksmo») and German («Burda Ukraiina» publishing body). The introduction of leading media management; the access to investment funds, distribution of product and technical innovations, provision of quality development and increasing of the competitiveness of the industry are the advantages of attraction of foreign media concerns to Ukrainian publishing.
Conclusion. The models of the state regulation of the publishing industry in the leading countries of the world differ by its level of liberalization and the methods which are used. The perspectives of the further researches in Ukraine in the theoretical sphere is studying of essence, classification and competitive advantages of the unification of enterprises in media industry; in practical sphere it is the analysis of abilities of application of regulation methods in book publishing, creation of concrete recommendations about formation of effective protectionist measures from the side of state, increase of business and innovational activity of domestic publishing bodies.