Title: Shrinking-release window movie releases: potential impacts on best business practices

Authors: Alan D. Smith

Addresses: Department of Management and Marketing, Robert Morris University, 600th Fifth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-3099, USA

Abstract: As the movie studios have seen a significant increase in the sale of DVDs, then falling as the entertainment consumer public are moving towards movie rentals, the surge of mass-popularity with digitally enhanced entertainment has some analysts speculating that poor service, promotion, and higher costs of theatre tickets and food are at least partially to blame as customers seek lower-cost alternatives to the traditional movie experience. Through industrial statistics, business literature review and a pilot study, the service and operational characteristics of short-term profits seem to be winning over longer-term strategic positioning in the movie industry.

Keywords: customer relationship management; CRM; DVDs; digital video discs; digital versatile discs; movies; feature films; film industry; service operations; shrinking-release windows; theatres; cinemas; film releases; best business practices; film studios; consumers; film rentals; DVD rentals; mass-popularity; digitally enhanced entertainment; poor service; promotion; marketing; ticket prices; costs; food; lower-cost alternatives; service characteristics; operational characteristics; short-term profits; strategic positioning; long term strategies; Pittsburgh; USA; United States; video releases; piracy; National Association of Theatre Owners; services management; operations management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2011.037438

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2011 Vol.8 No.1, pp.1 - 26

Published online: 11 Mar 2015 *

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