Crowd-authorizing: How Knowledge Sharing Economy Reshapes Publishing Industry

Abstract

This study focuses on publishing industry in the context of knowledge sharing economy. The way of communication via internet makes it possible and effortless to share experience, knowledge and information with others. This phenomenon is changing and reshaping the value chain of traditional publishing industry, in terms of its content producing, marketing and consuming. In this research, how sharing economy affects publishing industry would be addressed. The methods of multi-case study and in-depth interview would be employed. The in-depth interviews are taken within China Children’s Press & Publication Group, Post & Telecom Press, and Foreign Language Teaching & Research Press, which belong to general interest publishing, and educational publishing respectively. How could publishing company or self-publisher adapt to the changing atmosphere would be suggested as well in this research.