E-Books in Higher Education: Technology, E-Marketing Prospects, and Pricing Strategy

This article describes an ongoing project on the use of electronic books (e-books) in a higher institution and starts with a discussion on the diversity of e-book definitions to address misconception of its concept. Then, the advantages and associated technology such as hardware, software, formats, and standards are detailed. Comparisons between formats, a discussion on where e-books can be acquired and purchased, the electronic publishing process, e-book compilers, and personalized e-books are also explained. The final part of this article highlights the idea of marketing e-books electronically to improve accessibility and also assist lecturers to market their publications. In addition, the results of investigating buyers’ views are discussed briefly where a formula for pricing e-books based on student attitudes is also proposed.