MARKET STRATEGIES

Market Entry in the International Music Business

Abstract

In qualitatively defining the spatial attractions of music shops for a group of highly involved and long-term consumers? the elaborated consumption event implies a socially and culturally relevant creative retail process. This takes the form of an immersive interpretation and investigation of aspects of music store space design and merchandise relevant to the exploration and construction of meaningful? personal mythologies in a self-developmental? transactional event whilst being out 'in-the-world'. Supporting this event were deep levels of product involvement? with inter- and intra-personal communication in a supporting space relating to a set of community values? particularly encoded in 12” vinyl artefacts.

Table of Contents

Abstract2

CHAPTER I6

1. Introduction—basis of the study's research questions6

CHAPTER II7

Literature Review7

The Transmutation Of The Music7

The Internet and the transformation of the music supply chain9

The structure of activities12

The traditional structure of activities in the music supply chain12

The impact of the Internet on the structure of activities13

The choice of actors14

The traditional actors in the music supply chain14

The Internet and the choice of actors16

The governing mechanism18

The traditional governing mechanism in the music supply chain19

The Internet and the governing mechanism21

The co-ordination structure22

The traditional co-ordination structure22

The Internet co-ordination structure23

The Internet and the music industry: labels? artists and consumers25

Spatial immersion in music store mythology28

Generic retail spatial elements for consideration in music retail space analysis and its potential loss or substitution31

Retail life cycle predestination acceptance and its alternatives38

CHAPTER III42

Methodology42

Data collection42

Instrument44

Analysis45

CHAPTER IV46

Results46

Mapping of generic retail spatial attributes to music stores and the nature of the consumption process they support46

Music store consumption process distinctive qualities to investigate for loss of retail varieties should music store environments disappear52

Chapter V56

Discussion56

Retail varieties and space design implications56

Future research61

Chapter VI63

Conclusion63

CHAPTER I

1. Introduction—basis of the study's research questions

The reported 'death of the music shop' (Harris? 2003) in recent years may have some parallels with other public interactive space diminution and replacement with at-home and personal technologies? such as has been reported in the cinema (Dortch? 1996; MPAA? 2007; PA consulting? 2007). The catalyst for the reduction in varieties of these public socio-cultural spaces has been the advent of new technologies such as the computer? internet? home entertainment systems and recording devices that allow music and movie downloading. The cinema? however? continues as a physical presence in many urban spaces? largely due to the needs of certain consumers? particularly the young? for evening 'going-out' destinations. The recent dramatic reduction of music shops spaces? meanwhile? has resulted from (and in) less consumers going out to physical music stores. Instead? downloading consumers become passive-retail consumers? interacting with technology rather than people and external spaces. This consumption can take the form of either 'sit-back' (viewing television and mobiles) or 'sit-forward' (interacting with computers) activity dependant upon the electronic media of choice (McIntyre? 2009). This paper questions the nature of music shop consumption and asks whether it offered a unique type of consumption activity? its 'death' thereby reducing the varieties of potential active retail environments? and so encouraging less? going out 'in-the-world'? humanistic? consumer behaviours.

CHAPTER II

Literature Review

The Transmutation Of The Music

For most ...