9 June 2008

Mini Ebook Launched in Australian First

AIM’s boutique publishing business, Management Press, which scored a massive hit last year with Steve Lundin's CATS: The Nine Lives of Innovation, is now launching a mini ebook range.

The mini ebooks are short and focused, providing contemporary Australian content grouped under core business areas such as people, culture, strategy and innovation.

Unlike many downloadable book chapters, the Management Press mini ebooks stand alone as relevant and interesting content in their own right.

“When commissioning the first mini ebook series we chose to focus on the topic of resilience, presenting perspectives from practising managers and leaders in a narrative style and with an honest and raw approach,” said publisher Carolyn Barker AM FAIM.

AIM’s first mini ebook examines resilience in the workplace and is authored by former Queensland Chief Magistrate, Di Fingleton, whose resilience helped her endure two trials in the Supreme Court of Queensland, six months imprisonment, a tarnished reputation and shattered career only to be completely vindicated by the High Court.

Other mini ebooks that make up the complete Resilience@Work collection include ’Know thyself: In pursuit of possibility’ (Ian Berry), ’On the bench: Bouncing back stronger, wiser and more focused’ (Karen Murphy), ’The savage toll of burnout’ (Andrew Wilford), ’Fit for purpose: The link between physiology and resilience’ (Michael Anthony), ’Robust conversations: The resilient manager’s secret weapon’ (Anne Gately), and ’Resilience through life’s journey: A search for personal relevance’ (Clare Goodman).

“Launching these mini ebooks shows Management Press is keeping pace with the industry, and is positioned well with younger generations who have grown up with this technology, are now moving into management positions, and are demanding access to content in digital formats,” Ms Barker said.

Global trends show the future of publishing is powering towards the digital arena. It is common to see people reading ebooks on laptops, handheld computers and mobile phones during their commute or in coffee shops.

Ebooks have experienced a massive growth in popularity since their inception in the early 1980s. Late last year, book retailer Dymocks announced it would sell 120,000 ebooks through its website as a support to its bricks-and-mortar retail outlets.

US based web retailer Amazon.com similarly launched the Kindle, a wireless electronic book reader in an attempt to deliver an electronic consumer gadget that allows users to download, store and read digital books.

Each Resilience@Work mini ebook is $4.95 and can be downloaded via the Management Press website at www.managementpress.com.au. Readers can also buy the complete Resilience@Work collection for $24.95.