Submitted by: Akhlak Hossain (232012011) Md. Rezanul Islam Raz (232012003) Md. Anasur Rahman Zihad (232012045) Quazi Moyeen Ahmed (232012046)

Submitted to: Nandita Tabassum Khan Senior Lecturer and Undergraduate Program Coordination Department of Media Studies and Journalism University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh

Table of Contents

Content	Page number
1.0. Introduction	3
1.1. Focus area	3
1.2. Context	3
1.3. Topic Relevance	3
1.4. Objectives	3
1.5. Research Questions	3
1.6. Scopes & Limitations	4
2.0. Literature Review	4
3.0. Research Design	6
3.1. Methodology	6
3.2. Sampling	6
3.3. Time Frame	7
3.4 Budgeting	7
4.0. Reference	7

 

1.0. Introduction

1.1. Focus Area

Bangladesh, known for its rich literary tradition, is not immune to the global surge in Ebook consumption. Analyzing the factors contributing to the rise of E-books within the country sheds light on the evolving reading habits of the population. The preferences of readers are shifting towards digital platforms, posing a unique challenge for bookshops. Understanding these changing preferences is essential for book retailers to adapt effectively. Traditional bookshops encounter various challenges in the face of digital dominance. Identifying these challenges enables book retailers to formulate strategies to navigate the evolving landscape successfully.

The main focus of this research will be on the study   of digital Influence of e-books on printed books and also among book shops of Bangladesh.

1.2. Context

To thrive in the digital era, bookshops need to adopt innovative strategies. Exploring effective approaches to meet the demands of tech-savvy readers is essential for the survival of traditional book retailers. The integration of E-book technologies can be a game-changer for traditional bookshops. Understanding how bookstores can embrace these technologies without compromising their unique identity is crucial. In the digital age, customer experience is paramount. Discovering ways to enhance the customer experience in traditional bookshops can create a distinct competitive advantage.

1.3. Topic Relevance

Contrary to an all-digital future, the coexistence of E-books and printed books is a plausible scenario. Examining how bookshops can navigate this delicate balance is vital for their sustained success. While challenges exist, there are ample opportunities for traditional bookshops to thrive. Identifying and capitalizing on these opportunities ensures a resilient future for brick-and-mortar book retailers. Successfully navigating the digital era requires a strategic approach. Understanding the steps that bookshops can take to stay relevant and flourish in the digital age is crucial for their survival.

1.4. The research objectives are as follows:

• Explore and analyze public preferences in book-reading methods to understand the factors influencing the choice between printed books and e-books.
• Investigate the adaptations made by bookshops in Bangladesh to thrive in the new era of digital reading, with a focus on changes in business models, marketing strategies, and customer engagement.
• Identify effective strategies to combat piracy in the book industry and assess their feasibility for implementation, considering legal, technological, and educational approaches.

1.5. The questions that this research will be answering are:

1. What is the public preference on book reading methods? 
2. What adaptations have bookshops in Bangladesh made to thrive in the new era?
3. What strategies can be employed to cope up with piracy effectively?

1.6. Scopes and Limitations of the research:

1.6.1. Scopes:

• To know about public preference on reading methods.
• To know the future demand of eBooks and the tendency of people to read ebooks
• Knowing the time frame and preferred method of the market for ebooks

1.6.2. Limitations: 

• Not everyone may try to co-operate because they are feared because their opinion might get them into trouble.
• Everyone is not used to surveys , so they might give reasons to avoid answering.
• Some people may feel ignorant because of their different perspectives according to their answers.

 

2.0. Literature Review

 This section provides an insight, Presents the key concepts and the relevant researches  that have been conducted in the past.

2.1. Title –  “The Future of E-Commerce in the Publishing Industry”

In this article, Khairi Aseh, Omar Mohammed Ali Abdullah Al-Qudah, M. Hafiz Yusoff, P. Ravindran Pathmanathan, and others seek to explore the strategic significance of e-commerce in the publishing industry’s transformation. It examines the transition from just one marketing channel for printed books to a multi-channel strategy that includes e-books and print on demand technologies. Furthermore, the article focuses on management methods in the global economy that leverage evolving information technology (Aseh et al., 2021)

Methodology – “The study on “The Future of E-Commerce in Publishing” could have used a quantitative research approach to systematically study and analyze digital data related to the dynamics of E-commerce in the publishing industry. This approach may involve the use of  surveys or structured questionnaires distributed to publishers, consumers, or industry experts to gather quantifiable information about market trends, preferences and behavior. Statistical analyses, such as descriptive statistics or inferential testing, could have been applied to the data collected, allowing researchers to draw meaningful conclusions about  future trajectories of e-commerce in the publishing sector. Additionally, a clearly defined sample size, demographic characteristics, and quantifiable variables related to sales figures or market trends will be key elements of a quantitative research design (Aseh et al., 2021).

Findings –The most thought of the article revolves around the vital utilize of e-commerce in changing the distributing industry. It highlights the focal points of electronic distributing, counting diminished costs and time to showcase. Accentuation is set on the move to numerous dispersion channels with e-books and print on request. The paper underscores the significance of common measures for e-publishing to end up standard, whereas examining the exchange of competitive impact inside the distributing supply chain and tending to current patterns from stakeholders’ perspectives. In any case, particular comes about or primary discoveries are not expressly displayed within the unique (Aseh et al., 2021).

2.2. Title  – “E-books versus print books: Readers’ choices and preferences across contexts”

In this Article,  Yin Zhang and Sonali Kudva explore  preferences for e-books and print books in a variety of contexts, taking into account reading purposes, situations, and personal factors. He studies factors that influence ebook adoption, including reading habits, income, and Internet usage. This study also aimed to find out whether e-books and print books have similar functions and whether e-books are positioned to replace or complement print books.These findings have implications for libraries, publishers, and information organizations as they adapt to the preferences of a new generation of readers in the digital information environment (Zhang, Y., & Kudva, S. (2014)) .

Methodology – The quantitative method used in the article involves using the synthetic control method to analyze actual sales and revenue data from a large book retailer. This statistical method constructs a synthetic control group, a weighted combination of control units, to estimate the causal effect of a treatment, in this case the effect of e-books to sales and sales of printed books. The researchers addressed two research questions using this approach and considered various factors, such as e-book discount rates, release schedules, number of pages, and reading time, to evaluate their influence on level balancing. The reliability of the results is guaranteed through reliability testing and sensitivity analysis  (Zhang, Y., & Kudva, S. (2014)) .

Findings – The main findings of the study indicate that although e-books have become an integral part of people’s lives due to their accessibility, they cannot replace printed books. Both formats serve unique functions influenced by demographic and situational factors. A Pew Center survey highlights the growth in digital content readership, along with preferences that influence age and race. Key indicators of e-book adoption include  number of books read, income, reading for research, and Internet use as well as other variables such as race, age, education, and reading at work/school  (Zhang, Y., & Kudva, S. (2014)) .

 

2.3. Title – “Preferences for printed books versus E−books among university students in a Middle Eastern country”

In this article, Anandhi Amirtharaj, Divya Raghavan, and Judie Arulappan aimed to assess college students’ preferences for print books versus e-books in a Middle Eastern country. Using a descriptive cross-sectional survey of 607 participants,  results show that while most prefer e-books for their portability and reading time, print books are preferred for learning and taking notes. This study suggests implications for educational strategies and policies based on students’ psychological and social preferences (Amirtharaj et al., 2023).

Methodology – The study uses quantitative methods, using a cross-sectional descriptive  survey design. Data collection included gathering responses from 607 college students in a Middle Eastern country, allowing for  examination of their preferences for print books versus e-books. Analyzing the data collected involves applying both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study focuses on a specific sample of university students, with detailed information provided on their program level, year of study, age distribution and gender representation. These characteristics and the use of statistical methods suggest a quantitative research approach (Amirtharaj et al., 2023). 

Findings – The main idea of the article is to consider the impact of digital publishing on print publishing, with a particular focus on the development of the Internet and its role in digitizing print publishing. The article discusses Boson Books, a leader in the digital publishing industry since 1994, highlighting its importance.Furthermore, the relevance of digital publishing in education is emphasized, suggesting potential changes in the definition of textbooks and books for students in the context of  wired education. The partnership between goReader and Texas Instruments was also mentioned, pointing to the potential shift towards digital books in the education sector, especially in the fields of business, science and engineering  (Amirtharaj et al., 2023).

 

2.4. Title  – “The Changing Nature of Books and the Uneasy Case for Copyright”

In This article, Niva Elkin-Koren,”The Changing Nature of Books and the Difficult Arguments About Copyright,” explores the influence of digital technology on the publishing industry, focusing on the emergence of e-books and their impact on print culture. The article questions the rationale for granting copyright to publishers in the digital age, questioning its wisdom and legality in the context of the declining role of publishers and Business models are changing. It also examines how copyright law structures the e-book market and affects the relationships between industry players (Elkin-Koren, 2011).

Methodology –The paper does not expressly specify the strategy utilized or give data approximately a particular test. The center of the paper is on examining the effect of computerized innovation on the distributing industry and addressing the authenticity of allowing copyright to distributors within the advanced age. The paper gives an investigation of the rise of eBooks, the changing nature of book distribution, and the suggestions of these changes on copyright law. It also analyzes the role of unused intermediaries and trade models within the eBook advertisement. The data displayed within the paper is based on an audit and examination of existing writing and the author’s experiences and contentions. finding the quantitative strategy(Elkin-Koren, 2011).

Findings – The main idea of the article is to discuss the profound transformation of the book industry brought about by the development of e-books and digital technology. This transformation  not only changed the way books were produced and consumed, but  also gave rise to new social habits of writing and reading. The article emphasizes the impact of e-books and digital libraries on the nature of books, thereby expanding cultural, social and economic possibilities. Furthermore, it raises questions about the wisdom and legality of granting copyright to publishers in the digital age, suggesting that changing business models need not  rely on traditional copyright protection. The article proposes a reconsideration of copyright  in the context of these changes caused by e-books, raising questions about  its historical connection to the emergence of printing (Elkin-Koren, 2011).

 

3.0. Research Design

3.1. Research Methodology: The approach to this research will be quantitative. This will allow us to find out the percentage of people using their reading methods. Because the research is to get the influence of ebooks on printed books then it helps to get the amount of people that read books regularly through their preferable methods.

3.2. Sampling: The sampling method of the primary research is given below:

• Systematic Random Sampling

We can collect the area wise information and from there review the data with number intervals and complete the objective target. If approximately 100,000 data are collected, it is possible to get a possible result by analyzing 10,000 data at intervals of 10 people.

• Convenience Sampling

The main aim of our research objective is to know the method people read books. Convenience sampling will come in handy for that. Here, by collecting thousands of samples, the tendency of reading books can be known by sorting the data from there. The task can be done by simply asking one and a half participants or filling out an anonymous form.

• Stratified Sampling

There are many educational institutions, many news portals and many offices in Bangladesh. To know the tendency of people to read books from people there, we can divide them into different age groups, different genders, different categories and from there we can know their tendency to use their reading methods.

 

3.3. Time Frame:

Category	Time required
Background data collection	7-14 days
Literature review	5-7 days
Data collection	130-150 days
Data processing and analysis	25-30 days
Writing final findings	4-5 days
Total	Around 200 days

 

3.4. Budgeting:

Category	Budget required
Resources (Books, Journals, Publications)	50,000 – 1,00,000
Stationary (Pen, Paper, Printing)	2,000 – 5,000
Operational costs (Computer/ Laptop , Internet)	30,000 – 35,000
Logistics (Vehicles, Chair ,Table)	25,000 – 30,000
Transport	2,50,000 – 3,00,000
Remuneration for data collectors	80,000 – 1,00,000
Others	40,000-50,000
Total	Around 6,50,000

 

4.0. References  

Aseh, K., Al-Qudah, O. M. A. A., Hafiz Yusoff, M., Pathmanathan, P. R., Adilah Abdul Latiff, N., Jusoh, J. A., Abu-Ulbeh, W., El-Ebiary, Y. A. B., & Al Moaiad, Y. (2021, June 1). The Future of E-Commerce in the Publishing Industry. IEEE Xplore. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICSCEE50312.2021.9498175

Zhang, Y., & Kudva, S. (2014). E-books versus print books: Readers’ choices and preferences across contexts. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 65(8), 1695–1706. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.23076

Amirtharaj, A. D., Raghavan, D., & Arulappan, J. (2023). Preferences for printed books versus E−books among university students in a Middle Eastern country. Heliyon, 9(6), e16776. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16776

Elkin-Koren, N. (2011). The Changing Nature of Books and the Uneasy Case for Copyright. Social Science Research Network. https://typeset.io/papers/the-changing-nature-of-books-and-the-uneasy-case-for-5gixf9i5b8