The UK's Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) has launched its first e-book, titled The e-Revolution and Post-Compulsory Education: Using e-business models to deliver quality education. The book seeks to offer senior managers in further and higher education best-practice guidance for applying e-business approaches to their institutions.
Particularly in the current economic climate, information technology - especially web technology - is seen as a powerful tool that enables institutions to manage their business in a more innovative, cohesive and strategic way. Applied effectively, in support of clear business processes, it can confer competitive advantage, as well as provide enriched opportunities for collaboration. From supporting teaching and research to managing strategic partnerships as part of business and community engagement, e-business is bringing new opportunities in efficiency and service improvement.
The e-book launch coincides with a new 'e-textbook business models' study that forms part of the JISC national e-books observatory project3. The study will trial a variety of business models to determine the viability of delivering e-textbooks through the library. It will also explore the management and economic impact of the trials on publishers, e-book aggregators and educational institutions over the course of the 2009-10 academic year.
The e-Revolution and Post-Compulsory Education was originally published in paperback by Routledge in 2008. Following its own lead on open access publishing, JISC agreed with Routledge that its contents would be made available on an open access basis, one year after publication.
