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The Future of the Textbook Marketplace

Image of Kate Worlock

Author: Kate Worlock, Director & Lead Analyst

The textbook has long been a staple of the educational process, but today the textbook marketplace model is fraying at the seams. In fact, the textbook market is in danger of following the example set by newspapers, another market beset by cyclical and structural change that saw its fortunes drop 19% in 2009 alone, all by factors evolving and forecasted for more than five years prior to that. In Outsell’s opinion, this scenario is repeatable in the textbook marketplace, although the slow pace of change in teaching and purchasing practices might make the speed of this structural change less dramatic than it has been for newspapers. This report sizes the global Education & Training textbook marketplace and forecasts growth trends over the next 10 years. It also discusses the trends impacting these models and analyzes the evolving shape of the marketplace. The report contains:

- An overview of the textbook market including definition and market size & splits;
- Analysis of market dynamics and key trends, including a discussion of open source textbooks, content customization, and device proliferation;
- A look at opportunities and threats in this marketplace;
- Three Outsell-developed scenarios of how the textbook marketplace could develop over the next decade, and the likelihood of each;
- Case studies of eight key players, including overview, business model, and market reaction to each;
- A look at market disruptors and trends, and the key consequences of these;
- Essential actions for publishers and information providers working to create true digital learning experiences.



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Pub Date: May 3, 2010
Type: Market Report
Segments: Segments: E & T STM
Keywords: Books, Content for schools, E-books, Education, Education (corporate), Education (Higher Ed), Education (K-12), Market Analysis
Pages: 44
Format: PDF Application_pdf


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Table of Contents

  • Why This Topic?
    1. Methodology
  • Textbook Market Overview
    1. Market Definition
    2. Market Size and Splits
    3. The Importance of the Textbook
  • Market Dynamics and Key Trends
    1. The Changing Nature of the Textbook
    2. New and Evolving Business Models
    3. Open Source Textbooks
    4. Content Customisation
    5. Device Proliferation
    6. Living in a Hybrid, Micro-Niche World
    7. Evolution, Not Revolution, in Teaching Practise
  • Opportunities and Threats
    1. Improving Learning Outcomes
    2. Getting Embedded into the Learning Workflow
    3. Changing Relationships with Faculty
    4. Market Dominance
    5. Centralised Purchasing
    6. Combating Commoditisation with Customisation and Toolsets
    7. Potential for Disintermediation
    8. Print On Demand
    9. Over-Investing
    10. Under-Pricing
    11. Disruptive Players
  • The Changing Value Chain
    1. K-12
    2. Higher Ed
    3. Regulatory Developments
  • 2020 Vision
  • Key Players and Case Studies
    1. Pearson – ActiveTeach and ActiveBooks
    2. Macmillan – DynamicBooks
    3. Cengage Learning – CengageCourse
    4. Elsevier – Pageburst
    5. Cambridge University Press (CUP) – Cambridge Books Online
    6. CourseSmart
    7. Flat World Knowledge
    8. Chegg
  • Essential Actions
  • Related Research

    • Tables & Figures

  • Figure 1. The Evolution of the Textbook
  • Figure 2. Global Education Textbook Marketplace by Geography, 2008-2012
  • Figure 3. Global Education Textbook Marketplace by Subsegment, 2008-2012
  • Figure 4. Print vs Digital Growth in the Education Textbook Marketplace, 2008-2012
  • Figure 5. Print and Digital Textbook Market, 2008-2020
  • Table 1. Capabilities of Devices with Regard to Students’ Digital Textbook Content Needs
  • Figure 6. Impact of Digital on the K-12 Textbook Supply Chain
  • Figure 7. Impact of Digital on the College Textbook Supply Chain

Companies Mentioned

  1. Amazon.com, Inc.
  2. Barnes & Noble, Inc.
  3. Blackboard, Inc.
  4. Cambridge University Press
  5. Cengage Learning
  6. Chegg Inc.
  7. CK-12 Foundation
  8. CourseSmart LLC
  9. DynamicBooks
  10. Educational Testing Service
  11. Elsevier
  12. Flat World Knowledge, Inc.
  13. Ingram Book Group
  14. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  15. Macmillan Publishers, Ltd.
  16. McGraw-Hill Education
  17. Nelson Thornes
  18. Pearson Education