Costing and Pricing in the Digital Age: A Practical Guide for Information Services [Paperback]

Herbert Snyder (Author), Elisabeth Davenport (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1997 | ISBN-10: 1856041891 | ISBN-13: 978-1856041898

The take-up of electronic information services has been retarded as much by the novel aspects of the pricing and accounting of resources they represent as by fear of technology or tight budgets. Library provision poses special problems as it must accommodate a mixed economy: commitment to good public services and cost-driven financial planning. Who should be responsible for network services spread across different cost centres? What are the costs that are masked by site licensing and top-slicing? Can economic and fiscal models guide those who plan for networked services? Incorporating step-by-step instructions, problem-solving techniques and broad case study material, this primer aims to help the reader address these concerns. Contents include cost accounting for electronic provision, cost centres - identifying and allocating costs in distributed systems, managerial control - decision-making in the electronic environment, making the transition from print to electronic and internal financial control in distributed systems.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Neal Schuman Pub (February 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1856041891
• ISBN-13: 978-1856041898
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,908,603 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Financial Decision-making for Information Professionals, May 30, 2000

By 

Karen Ault (Indianapolis, IN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Costing and Pricing in the Digital Age: A Practical Guide for Information Services (Paperback)

Although intended for libraries in general, this text presents financial concepts and managerial accounting techniques that have application both for not-for-profit and private organizations. Information systems and services have grown in size and complexity particularly due to the increase of technology purchases. The many case studies and thoughtful explanations can be used to: trace future cost flows, such as maintenance costs, in order to aid in equipment selection decisions; aid in equipment purchase versus lease decisions; determine the break-even level of a service; and predict the impact of various funding levels on service. This very practical book succeeds in making information professionals intelligent consumers of financial information. Typographical errors in the worked examples can be a distraction, but do not obsure the decision-making conclusions.