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Specific to Canadian universities, I know that many bookstores have been taken over by Gigantic Multinational Bookstore Management Company. Is it possible that
by obstacle1 14y ago
Specific to Canadian universities, I know that many bookstores have been taken over by Gigantic Multinational Bookstore Management Company. Is it possible that departments incentivize profs somehow (even soft incentives like shaming deviants, etc.) to order strictly through the bookstore, which would have the effect of limiting textbook choices to whatever GMBMC Inc. stocks?
The not-so-required texts I speak of were always from the same publisher, which is the 'coincidence' that got me thinking about this in the first place.
- aroberge 14y agoThe pressure, if any, would likely not come from Academic Departments. I can see how the admin side of the institution might want, for financial reason, to encourage purchases through the bookstore... Also, in order to have books available for first day of classes, it is difficult to do anything other than ordering through the bookstore. At one of the institutions I've worked as a senior administrator, we did contemplate no longer having a bookstore and instead relying on Amazon/Chapters given their excellent service and general book availability. However, I would never have supported the idea of contracting out to some firm that dealt with a limited number of publishers.