Abstract

Digital asset management (DAM) is one of the value-added services many printers provide. It often is included in the top tier along with e-commerce, finishing, and fulfillment. Since DAM is a relatively new concept, certain technical and business issues need to be investigated. Today, DAM is an integral organizational component that companies must adopt if they are to compete in the marketplace. However, many companies find it difficult to implement technological strategies to meet the marketplace challenges of increased competition, increased customer demands, and the demands of Internet revolution. To implement DAM solutions, traditional companies must be able to adapt. Organizational success in technological initiatives hinges on whether or not companies can make the transformation from managing tangible products to storing intangible data as a service. As asset management becomes a mounting concern, total communication across the organization will become increasingly relevant. Today’s integrated digital workflows require all workers to be aware of what is happening upstream and downstream from them (Core, 2003, p. 35). A company’s DAM strategy has to revolve around the optimal creation, use, reuse, and repurposing of its assets. Printers are becoming more savvy about repurposing; the next step is to “co-purpose” at the time a digital object is created. DAM plays a crucial role in the cross-media integration and migration in this endeavor. A thorough literature review will set the stage for future surveys in the area of DAM, which will be conducted through the Printing Industry Center. Besides presenting a general overview of DAM, this paper looks at two areas in more detail: the use of DAM in small graphic design firms and the use of technical metadata in the newspaper industry.

Publication Date

2005

Document Type

Full-Length Book

Comments

A Research Monograph of the Printing Industry Center (CIAS) at RIT

Department, Program, or Center

Printing Industry Center (CIAS)

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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