The Impact of Print Modernisation on the Economic Growth of a Printing House

This diploma thesis addresses the overarching challenges of a small company caught in the wave of rapid technological development whilst facing competition from larger economic organisations whose objectives are gradually pushing smaller private companies out of the market. Can we influence demand with a better product and thus outpace the competition? The theoretical part examines the brief history of the development of printing services in company X, how the company developed, upgraded and marketed its printing services before 1991, when an entirely different economic and political stance prevailed.

Problem

This diploma thesis addresses the overarching challenges of a small company caught in the wave of rapid technological development whilst facing competition from larger economic organisations whose objectives are gradually pushing smaller private companies out of the market. Can we influence demand with a better product and thus outpace the competition? Both investment resources and decisions within production itself, as well as the design of new innovative solutions, will be weighed up.

Solution and Method

The theoretical part examines the brief history of the development of printing services in company X, how the company developed, upgraded and marketed its printing services before 1991, when an entirely different economic and political stance prevailed. The printing techniques that the company employed at that time will be analysed. Which of them were most successful then and how did they affect product quality and consumer preferences?

How did the company approach graphic preparation when this was not yet technologically possible? Which software tools were used for graphic preparation and what are the functions of the matrix as the most important intermediate element between graphics and actual printing? The transition to digital technology, which initially could not completely eliminate the still-existing offset printing.

How did the company cope with modernisation, as it was forced at one point to cover several types of printing techniques and services and supplement them with already established production patterns? I will explore how the company was financially supported and how, particularly in the early days of the internet and limited information flow, staff were trained for new technologies. The chapter with practical content will present in detail products from different types of printing techniques, such as offset printing and so-called modernised digital printing.

Why would modernisation make our operations easier and why, in certain segments, is it still not possible to completely abandon original printing techniques? By comparing samples of final products (printed materials) from individual printing techniques, I will determine for what purposes certain types of printing are used, why specific materials should be chosen, how this affects pricing, what possible alternatives there might be, and what could still be improved on certain printed materials.