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Managing media uncertainty: exploring multiple futures with multiple strategies.

Oliver, J. J. and Parrett, E., 2017. Managing media uncertainty: exploring multiple futures with multiple strategies. In: European Media Management Association (EMMA) Conference 2017, 11--12 May 2017, Ghent University, Belgium. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

The UK Media Industry operates in a highly turbulent environment, and one that is primarily characterised by rapid changes in digital technologies and the threat of new competitive entrants (Kung 2008; Doyle, 2013; Oliver, 2013). Similarly, new digital technologies have dis-intermediated value chains (Barwise and Picard, 2012) and changed the dynamics of the industry to the extent that traditional broadcast media companies no longer act as the sole intermediaries of mediated content. Indeed, innovative Internet Protocal TV (IPTV), Web TV and streaming services provided by the likes BT Vision, YouTube and Amazon Prime are making significant in-roads into traditional audience market share, particularly amongst the younger demographic. This type of competitive environment makes it difficult for media executives who are responsible for planning and executing Corporate Level Strategy. This in turn places increased scrutiny on the strategic planning tools that are used to undertake a rational and comprehensive analysis of the competitive dynamics and inform strategy formulation. This paper will present empirical findings and reflections on a scenario planning project that sought to develop a long-term Corporate Level Strategy for YouTube. As such, it is positioned within the ‘Strategy as Practice’ (Whittington, 1996; Jarzabkowski & Kaplan, 2015) domain as it combines academics with an interest in the practice of media management, with media practitioners. This view of media strategy focuses on the ‘doing of strategy’ and is particularly interested in the methods and tools that executives use to develop their media organisation’s strategy. As such, this paper presents empirical findings and reflections on a scenario planning project with media industry practitioners who sought to develop a long-term Corporate Level Strategy in the most uncertain of media environments. The use of Scenario Planning as a management tool is apt, since Oliver (2013) found it to be ‘Power Tool’ in the management of UK media firms due to the high levels of usage and satisfaction that companies were reporting.

Item Type:Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Uncontrolled Keywords:Corporate Level Strategy, Strategic Planning, Scenario Planning, UK Media Industry, YouTube
Group:Faculty of Media & Communication
ID Code:28423
Deposited By: Symplectic RT2
Deposited On:31 Mar 2017 14:14
Last Modified:14 Mar 2022 14:03

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