What’s the cost of sales and marketing in the government organisations?
Here’s a thought. We have our list of target organisations.
Now, could someone who has a few moments download their annual reports (really just the accounts) and look at their cost of sales and cost of marketing?
By our argument, the cost of sales is an unnecessary overhead which could be cut virtually to zero (to be replaced by cost of distribution of electronic data formats).
Cost of marketing would still exist: the Ordnance Survey, for example, would still want people to be aware of its different offerings, and its position as a prime supplier. (You can disagree – make the case in the comments.)
Does subtracting the cost of sales (and perhaps legal costs…) from the organisations’ costs substantially reduce their costs, and thus mean that it would be easier for them to “trade” without having to make sales? It’s a thought…
- The following posts may be related...(the database guesses):
- In the Guardian: what happens to the Postcode Address File in a Royal Mail split ownership? (9 March 2009; score: 37.11%)
- Revealed: how profitable Royal Mail's Postcode Address File (PAF) really is (26 April 2007; score: 27.91%)
- That's better: see what's been commented on recently (26 March 2006; score: 24.19%)
- Carol Tullo on free data: 'what's the point?' (8 June 2006; score: 23.05%)
- Ordnance Survey in the dock again with OPSI (26 October 2006; score: 21.54%)
March 27th, 2006 at 7:17 am
The ePSINet project may be of interest here visit http://www.epsigate.org
Refer to the PowerPoint presentation made at the ePSINet conference in Budapest, Hungary on the 13 May 2005, in particular slids 11, 12, 13, 25, 26,27
http://www.epsigate.org/protected/docs/ePSINet_Hungary_Corbin_5_1123_1097.pdf
March 27th, 2006 at 1:03 pm
I’m not an accountant, but I would have thought that there was some cost involved in selling a printed map. Even if the OS were to open up its data, there is still a legitimate place for printed maps, and so I don’t think we can just ignore *all* of the OS’s cost of sale.
Yes, you could argue that other providers would fill that market once the OS opens its data, but I’m not so sure. I suspect that they would concentrate on a few parts of the market (eg selling tourist maps of the national parks) and not bother with the area around Slough or Telford, on the grounds that very few people would buy detailed maps of such an unpopular area. But there is a legitimate need for such maps, and not everyone has the ability to get at online data and even fewer of them would have the software needed to turn data into map. Let alone the ability to print a map at a useful scale and covering a usefully large area!
March 27th, 2006 at 1:24 pm
Excellent point, David. The OS printed maps are – can we agree on this? – terrifically useful for the average person. And yes, the average person won’t be able to print a map. (The “average” person doesn’t have broadband either.)
The OS (though this point doesn’t only apply to it) makes the point that it deals with areas that a private organisation would not; that it takes its task seriously, to cover the whole nation.
We can agree that there should be a marketing cost – you have to push the brand. The question of whether OS should compete with other map makers under the copyright regime we’re suggesting is an interesting one. Perhaps it would be like splitting it into a data gatherer, and a data retailer – much as has finally begun to happen to BT under Ofcom.
March 29th, 2006 at 4:16 pm
Hi,
Great campaign! I have added a link to your site at:
http://www.p-jones.demon.co.uk/linksIV.htm
- under ‘Activism’.
Noting your external links the above site publicises a tool that supports individual and group engagement.
I’d be most grateful if you could consider the above political domain links for inclusion in your listing. If you have any queries would like more info please get in touch below.
Thanks for your time and best of luck.
Regards,
Peter Jones
Preston
Lancashire
UK
–
h2cmng@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.p-jones.demon.co.uk/
Hodges’ Health Career – Care Domains – Model
h2cm: help 2C more – help 2 listen – help 2 care