Facing Innovation and Digitization: The Case of Spanish Printing Houses

Abstract

This paper deals with how technological change and digitization in the Spanish printing sector are challenging existing business models and encouraging printing houses to modify their product portfolio and core competencies. This research has as a general objective to understand the impact of digitization on the business models of printing houses. Both the case studies and the survey conducted conclude that (a) printing houses, although aware of the necessary digital transformation, continue to maintain the traditional business model alongside the new one, (b) customers are the main driver of the digital transition of their business models, (c) there is a trade-off between cultural and environmental policies as drivers of the paradigm shift in printing houses and (d) the digital context is a motivating factor for vertical integration downstream of printing houses.