Media Innovation Strategies for Sustaining Competitive Advantage: Evidence from Music Download Stores in Iran

Afshin Omidi, Cinzia Dal Zotto, Esmaeil Norouzi and José María Valero-Pastor
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Afshin Omidi: Institute of Management, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Cinzia Dal Zotto: Institute of Management, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Esmaeil Norouzi: Faculty of Management, University of Teheran, Tehran 1417466191, Iran
José María Valero-Pastor: Department of Human and Social Sciences, Faculty of Human and Legal Sciences, Miguel Hernandez University of Elche, 03202 Elche, Alicante, Spain

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 6, 1-17

Abstract: This study explores the value of media innovation strategies for driving business success within the Iranian e-market of music downloads. It argues that the context of music e-markets in emerging countries differs markedly from that of developed economies by highlighting the political and cultural challenges that local e-music platforms in Iran are continuously facing. As literature is scarce in this specific area, and this study is one of the first attempting to gain a comprehensive understanding, a qualitative approach has been applied, and 14 digital music industry experts were interviewed in Iran. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews and then analyzed with a qualitative coding approach. This paper revealed that issues such as copyright challenges and governmental permission barriers are limiting the capabilities of digital music distributors to reach a sustainable competitive advantage.

Keywords: music industry; media innovation; competitive advantage; music e-retailing; Iran (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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