Review
"A fine book. Broad in its coverage and rich in detail. This impressive mapping of the complicated dynamics of a plurality of titles across the industry complements previous studies of magazines themselves."
Times Literary Supplement
"This compelling study of the evolution of consumer magazine publishing is a milestone in business and economic history. Charting the evolution of the industry in Britain from its 17th century origins through to the digital age, this well-researched book provides new perspectives on the links between the strategies of leading publishing firms and the imperatives of technological progress and social change. By focusing on the business dynamics and structures, the authors should be congratulated on providing a refreshingly new perspective on an industry which has shaped markets and cultural attitudes." --Geoffrey Jones, Isidor Straus Professor of Business History, Harvard Business School
"From Tit-Bits in the 19th century to OK! in the 21st, mass-circulation consumer magazines have been a remarkably durable feature of the publishing scene, surviving far better than newspapers the periodic upheavals in technology and in distribution methods. Yet as new entry has become easier the structure of the industry, and the identity of the leading players, has been anything but stable. By describing in interesting detail how competitive forces have played out in this market, and providing a lively account of the role played by individual entrepreneurs, Cox and Mowatt have made a notable contribution to an under-researched aspect of British publishing history." --Geoffrey Owen, former editor of the Financial Times
"A fascinating and long overdue account of the behind-the-scenes dynamics and changing business models of the UK magazine industry over the last 300 years. Any serious student of this key sector in the UK creative economy should read this book." --Barry McIlheney, CEO, Professional Publishers Association (PPA)
About the Author
Howard Cox, Professor of International Business History, University of Worcester,Simon Mowatt, Associate Professor of Management, AUT Business School
Howard Cox is Professor of International Business History at the University of Worcester, UK, where he has taught since 2004, During an academic career spanning over thirty years he has published widely in the fields of business history, international business, and corporate strategy. His well received account of the international tobacco industry The Global Cigarette was also published by Oxford University Press in 2000.
Simon Mowatt has been Associate Professor of Management at AUT Business School, Auckland, New Zealand, since 2002, before which he held positions in Business Schools in the UK and Europe. Simon has published widely in the areas of business history, strategy and innovation in journals such as Business History, Industrial and Corporate Change and Technology Analysis and Strategic Management.
