BM2211

Name Lorie Jane J. Mayores Section BSTM 3A Date Sept 29, 2023

Encyclopedia Britannica’s President on Killing Off a 244-Year-Old Product

By Jorge Cauz
In 2012, my announcement that Encyclopedia Britannica would cease producing bound volumes sent
ripples through the media world. Despite the vast migration of information from ink and paper to bits
and screens, it seemed remarkable that a set of books published for almost a quarter of a millennium
would go out of print. But in our Chicago office, this wasn’t an occasion to mourn. Our employees held a
party the day of the announcement, celebrating that Britannica was still a growing and viable company.
They ate the print set - in the form of a cake that pictured the 32-volume, 129-pound encyclopedia. They
displayed 244 silver balloons—one (1) for each year the encyclopedia had been in print. They toasted
the departure of an old friend with champagne and the dawning of a new era with determination.
We do not need a wake because we weren’t grieving. We had known for some time that this day was
coming. Given how little revenue the print set generated and that we had long ago shifted to a digital-
first editorial process, the bound volumes had become a distraction and a chore to put together. They
could no longer hold the vast amount of information our customers demanded or be kept as up to date
as today’s users expect. The reaction to our announcement was interesting and varied. Some people
were shocked. On Twitter, one (1) person wrote, “I’m sorry I was unfaithful to you, Encyclopedia
Britannica; Wikipedia was just there, and convenient, it meant nothing. Please, come back!”
Of course, we didn’t need to come back because we hadn’t gone away and weren’t about to. But
although most people seemed to know what was happening, some misunderstood. Commentators
intimated that we had “yielded” to the internet. The internet enabled us to reinvent ourselves and open
new channels of business. Reports cited Wikipedia as a disruptive force. Wikipedia helped us sharpen
our business strategy. Our content model was dismissed as “vintage.” Still, it is anything but: We update
our content continually, with community input, reaching tens of millions of people every day—and they
pay for it.
Based on the case facts and additional research, answer the questions below: (3 items x 10 points)
1. Would you consider Encyclopedia Britannica’s decision to discontinue printing hardbound volumes
an innovative choice? Why or why not?

 Yes, Britannica's decision to terminate the printing of hardbound volumes is a strategic

move. If they continue to manufacture volumes and do not adjust to change, their
company may cease to exist. To keep their firms alive, owners or CEOs must make
intelligent decisions. Because we live in the digital age, people may now utilize their
gadgets to search for information on the internet. Who would want to acquire books with
limited information and must go through them one by one to locate what they are seeking
when the internet is just a click away? Customers want to use what is more convenient.
Britannica may now add as much content as possible while keeping it up to date exactly as
the users desired. It's a great way for Britannica to stay current with technology.

2. What were the disruptors that made the company arrive at this decision? Research if necessary.

 The disruptors that led to this choice were when the company's sales model began to fail in
1991. It is the year that PCs began to ship with built-in CD-ROM drives. People got
preoccupied and had less time to engage those peddling at their doorsteps. Their profit
began to decline. Britannica released its own CD-ROM encyclopedia in 1994 for $1,200. But
then something else happened. Microsoft worked with Intel computers. They packaged the
PC and CD ROM, so customers would prefer to buy the bundle rather than buying
Britannica's CD ROM separately. Years later, the internet exploded, disrupting the CD-
ROM, and Britannica took this as an opportunity to get their company back on its feet.
Britannica Online, a web-based edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica, was introduced.
They created a learning platform for K–12 schools that provides low-cost lessons and
 learning materials. Britannica's digital education services have gradually increased in profit
over the years. Nonetheless, sales of their printed version continued to decline, prompting
their decision to discontinue the printed version.

3. Do you think people will still use Encyclopedia Britannica even if it is not hardbound anymore?
Provide points that prove people would prefer Encyclopedia Britannica over Wikipedia and other
websites or the other way around.

 Provide points that will prove that people prefer Encyclopedia Britannica over Wikipedia
and other websites.

Encyclopedia Britannica is one of the most trustworthy and up-to-date online

encyclopedias. They provide background information on the issue you are investigating.
The information they provide is sourced from respected authors. Furthermore, their
essays are more precise and to the point. Students can also use the Wikipedia data for
coursework. As a result, people prefer the Encyclopedia Britannica to Wikipedia.

 Provide points that will prove that people prefer Wikipedia and other websites over
Encyclopedia Britannica.

Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia that anyone can add to and edit. Their data comes
from people across the world. Furthermore, with over 6.2 million entries, Wikipedia is the
world's largest online encyclopedia. People now prefer Wikipedia to the Encyclopedia
Britannica.

Rubric for grading:

CRITERIA PERFORMANCE INDICATORS POINTS
Content Provided pieces of evidence, supporting
8
details, and factual scenarios
Organization Expressed the points in a clear and
of Ideas logical arrangement of ideas in the 2
paragraph
TOTAL 10
Reference:
Cauz, J. (2014). Encyclopædia Britannica's president on killing off a 244-year-old product.
https://hbr.org/2013/03/encyclopaedia-britannicas-president-on-killing-off-a-244-year-old-product

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