Patterns of Adoption of Electronic Publishing Innovations among Nigerian Publishers — Emmanuel Ifechuba and Godwin Shoki
Abstract
This study investigates patterns of electronic publishing innovations among Nigerian publishers. The survey method was employed using a questionnaire, interview guide and observation guide. The results show that electronic publishing innovations were adopted by the majority of the publishers and printers. The study concludes that Nigerian publishers adopted only those innovations that have become imperative for their success while slowly adopting others, especially ones that make the least demand on their finances. Their level of commitment favours foreign publishers whose products they market and whose facilities they use for online distribution.
The Study
There are indications that electronic publishing is becoming a major mode of publishing in many countries. Tiamiyu (2005, p. 147) observes:
| “The global information and electronic revolution continues to transform the different publishing processes, from manuscript development, through book production, distribution and marketing, to financial accounting and business management.” |
As e–publishing continues to account for greater percentages of published works in this era of globalization, an understanding of the principles and acquisition of the skills becomes imperative for Nigerian publishers. The need to embrace the change is made more obvious from views expressed by local book printers who operate in a technologically changing environment.
According to Uchenunu (2005, p. 22), Nigerian printers are keeping their minds open for new ways and have accepted that their clients demand consistent adoption of innovations to keep their global image. He states that print operators in Nigeria are beginning to embrace the inevitable change. There are nine Heidelberg Direct Imaging (D.I.) machines located at six D.I. centres across the country. With these machines, a step is taken towards total digitization. He states:
| “By downloading straight from the Internet, zip, CD, etc. without colour separation on films, D.I. printing has removed human error easily noticed in other conventional print processes … buyers enjoy impeccable print quality comparable to the best in the world.” |
Another development is that the government is already thinking of assisting in the provision of some basic infrastructure to make e–publishing feasible in Nigeria. Adio (2004, p. 41) states:
| “Nigeria cannot afford to exist outside the new world information order. Thus the present idea of the Nigerian University Commission on a Virtual Digital Library that links the university libraries to the world is a welcome idea, and this will serve as an impetus to other higher institutions, public and special institutional libraries to chart a new course in the discharge of their responsibilities.” |
Implicit in this statement is that publishers who fail to digitize their current lists and future titles may lose out in the emerging e–publishing market, thereby leaving Nigerian readers to the mercy of foreign publishers.
Though there seem to be indications of adoption, some think that Nigerian publishers are yet to adopt relevant innovations in large numbers. This is the position of Nwankwo (2005, p. 173–83). He states that what the local publishers need to acquire in order to get involved include:
Software for the digitizing and coding of text;
Hardware for the digitizing and coding of text;
Reliable Internet access;
Skills for digitization; and,
Skills for the uploading of text.
Nwankwo’s experimentations with Print on Demand (POD) also show that some attempts are being made to embrace e–publishing innovations. Obidiegwu (2006, p. 10) also says that “there is only a tiny (local) market,” arguing that “Nigerian publishers can reach out to European and American markets… .” These views, counter views and insights call for investigation of the status of e–publishing innovations among Nigerian publishers.
Problems
There is a paucity of empirical evidence on the status of electronic publishing innovations in Nigeria, probably due to the newness of e–publishing. There are, however, signs of adoption of e–publishing innovations. The discernible signs, though, may not serve as sufficient basis for categorical statements on the subject. This study therefore seeks to investigate the aspects of e–publishing adopted by Nigerian publishers, the extent of adoption and the different ways which print book publishers, book printers, optical disc publishers and booksellers have adopted or failed to adopt them.
Answers Will Be Provided To the Following Questions:
What are the discernible patterns of adoption of e–publishing innovations among the four segments of the publishing industry — print book publishers, book printers, optical disc publishers and booksellers?
What are the views of the publishers on the adoption of e–publishing innovations in Nigeria?
Theoretical Framework
This study is conducted using the Innovation Diffusion Theory and the Technological Determinism Theory. Nwodu (2006, p. 102) defines innovation diffusion as the:
| “strategic exposure of change target to new idea, object or practice or practice (that is, innovation) in a manner that they would pay attention to understand, internalize and adopt the new idea, object or practice (which is diffusion) for their own benefit.” |
According to Nwodu (2006) diffusion means the spread of a given new idea or practice over time, via specifiable channels through some social structures:
| “This theory assumes the existence of change targets. That there are change agents who are responsible for the introduction of new ideas or practices. That diffusion is hardly in effect. That the process of diffusion may be fast on.” |
Methodology
The descriptive survey research method was employed. Its population was of traditional paperback publishing firms, book printers, bookshops, and optical disc and cassette makers in Nigeria. Stratified and simple sampling techniques were used on a proportion of respondents in Southwest Nigeria as seen below:
| Table 1: Proportion of Publishers in the Southwest Zone. Source: NPA, NCC and ANP secretariats. | ||||
| Serial Number | Population Strata | National | Southwest | Percent |
| 1 | Publishers | 127 | 89* | 70.6 |
| 2 | Printers | 191 | 136* | 73.5 |
| 3 | Optical Disc publishers | NA | 15 | |
| 4 | Booksellers | NA | NA | |
| Total | 318 | 240 | 72.1 | |
Since the focus of this study is on the patterns of adoption, it is considered appropriate, in the light of these scholarly positions, to describe the patterns observed among the four strata of the publishing industry.
The number of organizations that make up the population is too large to allow for individual examination in this study. It becomes necessary, therefore, to narrow down the scope by way of sampling. (See Appendices 1–3 for a comprehensive list of the members of the Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), Association of Nigerian Printers (ANP), and the Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC)).