The aim of this research is to discover ways that multi-stakeholder platforms for collaboration can be instrumental in the efforts of the media industry to achieve compliance with sustainability. Industries have gained awareness of their responsibilities towards environmental, social and economic welfare, and the media has a powerful role within society. The media industry's behavior is reflected both through its impacts of business operations as well as media products. The premise of this research suggests that an effective platform model fosters interpersonal, stimulating and energizing conversations amongst stakeholders in a neutral and friendly environment. In collaboration with various media stakeholders and showcasing an existing UK-based platform, the Media CSR Forum, and in investigating its structure and membership dynamics, it was possible to gain insight of common challenges for media companies. We identified the potential for platform models to help media companies plan strategically with the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development. Strategic planning for sustainable development can help the media industry to face the challenge that their current contribution to un-sustainability represents and become a key player for sustainable societies.

Das internetbasierte branchenspezifische Weiterbildungsnetzwerk Mediencommunity (vgl. www.mediencommunity.de) wurde ab 2008 im Rahmen des Programms „Neue Medien in der beruflichen Bildung“ mit BMBF-Fördermitteln aufgebaut und wird mit Ende der Förderung im Dezember 2011 unternehmerisch weitergeführt. Damit wird das Ziel eines nachhaltigen Betriebs des Angebotes erreicht. Dieser Beitrag beschreibt das entwickelte Konzept entlang der von Laudon & Traver dargestellten acht Kernelemente von Geschäftsmodellen: die Umsatzchancen in der Zielgruppe (market opportunity), das Nutzenversprechen (value proposition), die Marktzugangsstrategie (market strategy), das Wettbewerbsumfeld (competitive environment), der Wettbewerbsvorteil (competitive advantage), das Erlösmodell (revenue model), das notwendige Organisationsmodell (organizational development) und das Managementteam (management team) (Laudon & Travers 2011, S. 320). Abschließend wird die entwickelte Lerncommunity entlang der Forschung zu internetbasierten Geschäftsmodellen typologisch eingeordnet.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) is a massive ongoing franchise that began as a 1984 self-published comic book created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Its history is intertwined with the creators' rights movement and the Creator's Bill of Rights (CBR), which rejected work-for-hire contracts, wherein creative laborers—creative authors—cede authorial control of their labor. Because the production of comic books and their franchises is highly collaborative, intellectual property (IP) rights are often consolidated in a single rights holder—a corporate author—via work-for-hire contracts. Eastman and Laird, as both creative and corporate authors, initially maintained strict control of TMNT licensees, but allowed their employees to retain IP rights over creative contributions to TMNT. However, in 1992, Eastman and Laird sent retroactive work-for-hire contracts to all current and former employees. This TMNT case study illustrates how the CBR represented the conflicting interests of publishers and creative laborers and ultimately reinforced the individualistic view of authorship that undergirds work-for-hire doctrine. Additionally, because IP legal infrastructure uses individualistic discourse to consolidate control of media franchises in one entity that allows authorized individuals access to a shared database of creative expressions that workers can borrow from or add to, media franchises resemble folklore and are made via a database mode of production. The romantic vision of authorship (and authorial control) upon which the CBR was founded ultimately went on to serve publishers rather than creators working for media properties, repeating a pattern that has existed since the inception of copyright and authorship.

The online media industry has undergone changes during the last decades. Driven by technology advancements, there has been an increasing number of actors that can enhance the value of service in the media industry. The fast changing environment calls for a dynamic lens when analyzing strategic alliances forming between actors in the industry, thus this study uses a Business Ecosystem perspective to analyze how alliances should be formed to enable competitive advantage. A xase study was performed on a world leading provider of broadcast and media services to analyze how the dynamic setting affects suitable strategic alliance forms, using a partner selection framework to identify possible alliances. The results showed most potential within alliance forms of lower intergration, such as Franchise, Licensing Agreement or  Arms-Lenght Market relation. Hurdels for the higher forms of integration were identified as mostly caused by requirements of low investments and implementation times in the fast moving dynamic environment.  Identified future work is presented as performing a similar study where these hurdels are nonexistent to further analyze which alliance forms are applicable in a dynamic industry.

Förevarande studie syftar till att undersöka hur de hybrida arbetssätten som uppkommit till följd av pandemin har katalyserat gig-ekonomin inom mediebranschen. Undersökningen har med en deduktiv ansats grundat en hypotes baserat på tidigare forskning inom området. Med kvalitativa intervjuer av både frilansare inom medieindustrin och företagare som anställer dessa, har studien ämnat att analysera huruvida hypotesen kunde bekräftas eller förkastas. För att analysera det empiriska resultatet av undersökningen i förhållande till studiens frågeställning och hypotes har diskussionen anknutit till Maslows motivationsteori. Studien fastslår att delar av dess hypotes kan bekräftas eftersom hybrida arbetssätt ökar frilansarens och företagarnas digitala vana, vilket minskar behovet av fysiska möten med medarbetare och samarbetspartners. Hybrida arbetssätt möjliggör också nya arbetsmöjligheter för frilansare utanför det lokala området eftersom digital kommunikation inte längre minskar professionaliteten av arbetet. De förväntade internationella möjligheterna av hypotesen går emellertid inte att bekräfta avseende studiens otillräckliga kvantitet av respondenter som bekräftar utfallet. Studien visar också på hinder som minskar tryggheten för frilansare när de arbetar med utländska uppdragsgivare. Studiens slutledning av frågeställningen är att de hybrida arbetssätten katalyserar den nationella gig-ekonomin och bör ses som en betydande del för att förstå den postpandemiska framtiden för mediebranschen i Sverige. / This study aims to explore how the hybrid working methods that have emerged because of the pandemic have catalysed the gig economy in the media industry. Using a deductive research approach, the study formulated a hypothesis based on previous research in the field. Through qualitative interviews with both freelance workers in the media industry and organisations who employ them, the study sought to analyse whether the hypothesis could be confirmed or rejected. The discussion used Maslow’s motivation theory to analyse the empirical results of the study in relation to the research question and hypothesis. The study finds that parts of the hypothesis can be confirmed as hybrid working methods increase the digital competence of both freelancers and organisations, reducing the need for physical meetings with colleagues and partners. Hybrid work arrangements also enable new work opportunities for freelancers outside their local area, as digital communication no longer decreases the professionalism of their work. However, the expected international opportunities of the hypothesis cannot be confirmed due to the study's insufficient number of respondents confirming the outcome. The study also identifies barriers that reduce the security of freelancers when working with foreign clients. The study's conclusion regarding the research question is that hybrid working methods catalyse the national gig economy and should be viewed as a significant factor in understanding the post-pandemic future of the media industry in Sweden.

No description available.

Growing ecological challenges [1][2][3] can be addressed by the media industry through proactive engagement with holistic sustainability transformation that covers all activities within their value-chain. With at least 60% of vertebrate species already lost [1] and 40% of insect species at risk of the same [2], the time for business-as-usual has past [4][5][6][49]. In order to mitigate negative, and accelerate positive, impacts on global biodiversity integrity, media companies need to look beyond direct impacts, carbon, and segmented actions to a more holistic understanding and approach of sustainability transformation. This study focused specifically on the Nordic region (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland) and the largest incumbent companies within that region (Schibsted, MTG, Bonnier, Egmont and Sanoma) [7][8], to find what actions and pathway are necessary to protect both people and planet [10]. Through understanding the drivers of biodiversity loss, as well as the proposed sustainability transformation roadmaps from the research community, and by quantitatively analyzing how these five companies understand and prioritize sustainability, this study developed a visual Pathway Lens consisting of Seven Focus Areas (SFAs) to enable media companies to look holistically at their activities and value-chain. The SFAs need to be approached holistically, similar to the 17 SDGs (Agenda 2030) [4]. Since incumbent Nordic media companies are not currently looking at impacts on biodiversity integrity, nor focusing on a holistic approach to sustainability, the SFAs of the Pathway Lens are a tool to better understand their unique opportunity to accelerate sustainable lifestyles through their content, marketplaces, products and events, which in turn address impacts on biodiversity integrity. The media industry also shares in the collective opportunity to accelerate sustainable value-chains through prioritizing self-transcendence values, resources, responsible operations, circular business models, iterative stakeholder engagement, and external partnerships. Since the drivers of biodiversity loss are complex and interconnected [3], protecting both people and planet requires complex and interconnected solutions. / Växande ekologiska utmaningar [1][2][3] kan adresseras av medieindustrin genom proaktivt engagemang i holistisk hållbarhetstransformation som täcker alla aktiviteter i värdekedjan. Då minst 60% av arterna bland ryggradsdjur redan har försvunnit [1] och 40% av insektsarterna riskerar att försvinna [2], har tiden för konventionellt företagande (business-as-usual) passerat [4][5][6][49]. För att minska negativa effekter, och accelerera positiva effekter, vad gäller den biologisk mångfaldens integritet, måste företagen se bortom direkta effekter, koldioxidutsläpp, och isolerade åtgärder för en mer holistisk förståelse av och ett mer holistiskt angreppssätt vad gäller hållbarhetstransformation. Denna studie har fokuserat specifikt på Norden (Sverige, Norge, Danmark, Finland) och de största etablerade företagen inom denna region (Schibsted, MTG, Bonnier, Egmont och Sanoma) [7][8], för att ta reda på vilka åtgärder som behövs för att skydda både människor och planeten [10]. Genom att förstå drivkrafterna bakom förlusten av biologisk mångfald, såväl som de föreslagna färdplanerna för hållbarhetstransformation ifrån forskarsamfundet, och genom att kvantitativt analysera hur dessa fem företag förstår och prioriterar hållbarhet, har denna studie utvecklat en visuell lins [Pathway Lens] bestående av sju fokusområden (Seven Focus Areas, SFAs), för att möjliggöra för medieföretag att titta holistiskt på deras aktiviteter och värdekedja. De sju fokusområdena (SFAs) för hållbarhetstransformation måste hanteras holistiskt, likt FN:s 17 globala mål för hållbar utveckling (Agenda 2030) [4]. Eftersom etablerade nordiska medieföretag i dagsläget inte tittar på påverkan på den biologiska mångfaldens integritet, och inte heller fokuserar på ett holistiskt angreppssätt vad gäller hållbarhet, är de sju fokusområdena [SFAs] av den visuella linsen [Pathway Lens] ett verktyg för att bättre förstå deras unika möjlighet att accelerera hållbara livsstilar genom deras innehåll, marknadsplatser, samt produkter och events, vilka i sin tur adresserar påverkan på den biologiska mångfaldens integritet. Medieindustrin delar också den kollektiva möjligheten att accelerera hållbara värdekedjor genom att prioritera värderingar som transcenderar jaget (self-transcendence), resurser, ansvarsfulla verksamheter, cirkulära affärsmodeller, iterativt intressentengagemang, och externa partnerskap. Eftersom drivkrafterna bakom förlust av biologisk mångfald är komplexa och sammankopplade [3], krävs komplexa och sammankopplade lösningar för att skydda både människor och planeten.

<p dir="ltr">Since the Electronic Software Association (ESA) began reporting data for the video game industry in 2002, women have represented nearly half of the game playing population. However, despite this stable statistic, the industry’s ideal “Gamer” is consistently depicted as a young, white, cisgender, heterosexual, able-bodied male, and the games industry frequently targets this idealized identity through advertising and game design. This has resulted in a culture that is notably toxic towards women and marginalized players, built on an assumption of meritocracy within games—or the expectation that every player begins each game with the same advantages, disadvantages, and skills as every other player. While the construction of gamer identity has received extensive scholarly attention, gaming peripherals—such as video game controllers—are either minimized or left entirely out of the conversation. This dissertation, informed by feminist methodologies in technical communication and game studies, uses a mixed-methods approach involving archival research, visual analysis, surveys, and interviews to understand the intersections of video game controllers and gamer identity. Using Microsoft’s Xbox as a case study, the findings demonstrate how a dominant narrative has controlled controller design decisions through iterative processes. This has resulted in controllers that are more uncomfortable, more unusable, and more frustrating for and viewed more negatively by women and marginalized players. For each controller iteration, women and marginalized participants rated controllers significantly lower. Though the total improvement score (TIS) from first iteration to current iteration were similar between women and marginalized participants and cismale participants, the lower starting point for women and marginalized participants resulted in a lower ending point. Design decisions across controller iterations privilege cismale experiences, reifying gamer identity through controller design and resulting in not just an ideal gamer identity, but an ideal gamer body. </p>