The Zambia Project
At Publishing Resource Solutions we are equipped to deal with the many operational and management issues and challenges that a publishing company might wish or need to outsource.
For example, our extensive experience at business development and publishing management level not only contributed to formation of a new South Africa-Zambia company partnership, but also helped the new company to capitalize as quickly as possible on current market opportunities, and to deliver real investment returns for the partnership in a very short period of time.
Our Zambia project began with extensive research into and exploration of various market and business development opportunities for a major South African educational publisher.
On the strength of particular market and partner recommendations, and our assistance in contractual negotiations, a new South Africa-Zambia educational publishing company was formed.
1. Business Development
A further contracted responsibility of Publishing Resource Solutions was to contribute immediately to business development and growth of the new company.
- We reviewed and assessed in detail the market (including stages of curriculum development and competitor activities to date).
- We helped the new company to identify critical growth opportunities, related actions required, and relevant timing thereof. We particularly strategized around publishing activities and approaches, including short-term submissions opportunities.
- Assistance was also provided in determining promotional activities and approaches (including budgets and recommendations for staff resourcing), and various other infrastructural issues and requirements.
2. Publishing and Resource Management
Following identification of particular short-term business opportunities, we proposed and were contracted to extend Publishing Resource Solutions involvement in the Zambia project to deliver a comprehensive but also fast-track publishing programme for the new company.
- A further contracted responsibility of Publishing Resource Solutions was to contribute immediately to business development and growth of the new company. We assisted our client generally to develop a publishing programme to maximize short-term primary submission opportunities.
- We assessed with our client any manuscripts already developed to date, for potential for upcoming submission.
- With our client, we planned fast-track publishing activities and developed schedules to ensure completion of submission materials within three months.
- We assumed responsibility for all aspects of materials development and production, from manuscript to print-ready stages including design of all book content and covers.
- We sourced and engaged a comprehensive team of freelance publishing, editorial and design resources to deliver our client’s fast-track publishing programme. This team consisted of one additional experienced publisher, three typesetters, twelve editors, six proofreaders and six illustrators.
- We developed and obtained approval for all project budgets, and actioned all freelance supplier contracts and payments.
3. Project delivery
In 4 weeks, for the first submission phase, Publishing Resource Solutions:
- produced 8 Learner Books and Teacher’s Guides for Grade 3;
- managed the copying, binding and packaging of 5 submission sets of each these 8 books; and
- delivered the submission sets safely in Zambia.
In 8 weeks, to a second submission deadline, we
- produced a further 16 Learner Books and Teacher Guides for Grades 4 and 7;
- managed the copying, binding and packaging of 5 submission sets of each of these 16 books; and
- delivered the submission sets safely in Zambia.
Subsequent to 100% approval of Learner Books and Teacher Guides submitted, we implemented any changes required, prepared new print-ready files, finalized all covers and provided all relevant materials to our client for printing.
As a final project stage, we were commissioned to produce from completed manuscripts a further 8 Grade 4 and Grade 8 Zambian-language titles.