ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to explore how the use of digital technology has impacted value creation in the music industry with focus on the Christian Music Industry of Ghana. This research argues that notwithstanding the universality of digital technologies in most human activities in recent years, there is still paucity in research in the area of the impact of digital technologies in the Christian Music Industry. Moreover, it was also revealed that very scarce research has been carried out in the area of digital technology’s impact on music industries from a multi-stakeholder perspective which will provide a more general viewpoint to the factors that generate value in the music industry. Also, very few studies in this area have been carried out in a developing country context. Furthermore, when pertinent literature was reviewed, it was revealed that most of the studies conducted in this area did not use any theoretical lens, concept or model. Thus, the need to undertake a study backed by theory. Hence, the adoption of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework in conducting this study.
To adequately find solutions to the research problems came a need to develop a framework that fully covered the totality of this research and facilitated the achievement of the research purpose. Thus, the study developed a framework which had four parts: Technology Adoption factors which were adopted from UTAUT, music industry value chain activities, value gained using digital technologies (adopted from the E-business Value Creation Model) and lastly the digital technologies used in the music industries.
The research was founded on the tenets of critical realism and employs a qualitative methodological approach, to garner the experiences of actors in the music industry value chain
amidst the constraints of their context. Furthermore, in the quest to find answers to research questions raised, the study employed Miles and Huberman’s data analysis technique to analyse the data gathered from the actors across the music industry value chain. A total of nineteen (19) actors in the Christian music industry value chain were interviewed. These actors consisted of five music creators (songwriters, musicians, and artists), four music producers, five music distributors and five music consumers.
In response to the nature of the use of digital technologies in the Ghanaian Christian music industry, it was suggestive from the findings that music creators use smartphones, iPads, laptops, and studio microphones to capture creative ideas that come to them especially when they are away from professional studios. Also, the findings revealed that the music producers use laptops, smartphones, studio microphones, studio monitors and DAWs like Logic Pro, Ableton, Fruity loops and Cubase to in music production. The finding was also indicative that music distributors depended heavily on laptops with internet connectivity. Digital distributors like Distrokid, TuneCore and CD baby are used to distribute songs to into digital music stores like iTunes, Spotify, and other music stores.
On the issue of the factors that influence the nature of use of digital technologies in the Christian music industry of Ghana, the research findings was indicative that the use of digital technologies by the actors in the music industry helps them to attain gains.It was indicative from the research findings that actors in the music industry value chain had an understanding of the platform which makes it very easy for the actors to use the digital technologies in the creation, reproduction, distribution, and consumption.Furthermore, the process of learning to use digital technologies which were glaring in the responses given by the respondents proves
that they learned how to use the digital technologies by watching others use it or by watching step by step tutorial videos on YouTube on how to use the technologies.
For the contribution to research, the study fills the gap of the rarity of research work done on digital technologies’ impact in the music industry in Ghana and developing economies especially Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole. This study in relation to practice provides a roadmap for firms and individuals who want to integrate the digital technologies in any area of the music industry value chain. Finally, for policy the study presents regulatory agencies responsible for music in Ghana with an overview of the digital music industry. It also provides lessons on how musicians can generate revenue through the access of other markets other than their local markets and their ability to make profitable gains from their musicianship with the help of digital technologies.
The originality of this study is that it is arguably one of the few empirical studies that have been conducted on the digital technologies impact on the music industry in Ghana with emphasis on the Christian music industry
It is recommended that further studies should consider a single case or a multiple case study approach to scrutinize the impacts of digital technologies in the Christian music industry of Ghana. Future studies may also consider espousing the quantitative approach in order to have a greater sample size to make a generalization concerning this phenomenon.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
“Musicians say there is no money in streaming… That’s what you know isn’t it? Well, that’s Wrong? The industry is suffering a slow death and in order to live, it must change.” – Willard Ahdritz, the founder and CEO of Kobalt Music Group” (Gray, 2015).
In the recent decade, digitization has intensely influenced most businesses. Digital technologies have reduced the cost of acquiring and sharing information considerably (Aguiar & Martens, 2016). The music industry has seen a lot of changes as digital technology has also progressed tremendously. The production, distribution, promotion, and consumption of music have all been completely altered by the internet and the digitization of music, particularly the use of historic items like Apple’s iPod and iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and others (Warr & Goode, 2011)
The way music is consumed has also changed dramatically and consumers now enjoy a more improved service. Music can be accessed by individuals in any place and time using varying devices and channels that have been made available by the emergence of digital technology. The global digital records collections are estimated to hold over 43 million songs and over 400 music licensed music services worldwide (IFPI, 2015). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) also estimates that the global digitization has brought licensed services to some 200 countries overall enabling the recording industry to reach markets that it could not monetize before through physical retailing.
The introduction of digital recording gadgets has allowed musicians to record their music independently with the emergence of sound quality which can be equated to professional recording studios. This has empowered artists without the support of investment from record labels to record their own music (Luck, 2012) and to move towards the Do It Yourself (DIY) path into the music industry and its associated businesses.
Digital technology has additionally empowered artists to enter the market and sell directly to customers, notwithstanding the fact that the sales of recorded music have declined in this time of file sharing and MP3 players, more music is being consumed than ever before. (Hracs, 2012). In developed countries, where more stable digital infrastructure and copyright policy coexist, artists have been capable from a certain point of view to gain extra income through the initial sale and subsequent royalty generation from their creations (Uehlin, 2013). Also, the proliferation of digital communication technologies, however, has presented musicians in developing countries like Ghana with a new opportunity to generate income from their expertise (Uehlin, 2013).
In the music industry, and all of its multifaceted nature lies a developing bubble strengthened by digitization. Digital Technology empowers music consumption and distribution for anyone and anywhere in the world effortlessly. With the assistance of ICT Intensive service Innovations in diverse markets (IISIn model) presented by Tuunainen, Tuunanen, and Bastek (2009) it is simpler to look at and characterize unequivocally various platforms and the actors.
Research Problem
Digital music production encompasses different stakeholders: artists, content owners (record labels, music producers), distributors/retailers and consumers. Research into music production should therefore be conducted from these perspectives (Hracs, 2012). However, digital music production literature reviewed seem to focus mostly on only one of these stakeholders. For instance, Hracs (2012) pointed out how digital technology has made it possible for an individual artist to do everything in the music production cycle by himself. Chaney (2009) also focused on consumer participation in value creation in the music industry. Record labels or the content owners were also studied by Orozco (2012). The study focused on how digitization can have a positive impact on the activities of content owners (record labels and music producers). Leung (2015) did a study on retailers, on how a threat like piracy can have an impact on the sale and distribution of music online. It is therefore very needful to have a study which will look at the impact of digital technology in music industries from a multi-stakeholder perspective which will provide a more general viewpoint to the factors that bring about value creation in the music industry.
Nonetheless, the impact of digital technology adoption in music industries in developing countries has had very little research done in the area. Uehlin (2013) in his work stated that the investigation was limited in its comparative access to similar studies. Additional studies of similar scope would have provided significant guidance on the methodology and overall structure of a study of this nature. There is therefore a need for more research into digital technology adoption in developing countries especially in the area of music and its associated businesses.
Lastly, most of the studies conducted in this area did not use any theoretical lens, concept or model. Thus, the need to undertake a study backed by theory (e.g. Hracs, 2012; Aguiar & Martens, 2016; Krause & North, 2016). The absence of such a missing gap in the literature regarding these research points to the need to undertake studies that are backed by theory.
Research Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore how the use of digital technology impacts value creation amongst actors of the gospel music industry of Ghana.
Research Objectives
With regards to the purpose of the study, the objectives are:
- To explore the nature of the use of digital technologies in the creation, reproduction, distribution and consumption of music in the Ghanaian music industry.
- To explore the factors that influence the nature of the use of digital technologies in the creation, reproduction, distribution and consumption of music in the Ghanaian music industry.
- To explore the potential value outcomes of digital technologies in the creation, reproduction, distribution and consumption of music in the Ghanaian music industry.
Research Questions
In an effort to achieve the set objectives, the following questions were asked:
- What is the nature of the use of digital technologies in the creation, reproduction, distribution, and consumption in the Ghanaian music industry?
- What are the types of digital technologies used in the creation, reproduction, distribution, and consumption in the Ghanaian music industry?
- How are these digital technologies being used in the creation, reproduction distribution, and consumption in the Ghanaian music industry?
- What factors influence the nature of the use of digital technologies in the creation, reproduction, distribution, and consumption of music in the Ghanaian music industry?
- What are the potential value outcomes of digital technologies in the creation, reproduction, distribution, and consumption of music in the Ghanaian music industry?
Research Significance
The import of this study can be investigated along the lines of research, policy, and practice. This study is important as it contributes to the body of knowledge of Digital Technologies in music literature. It will also attempt to link the research gaps bearing in mind the sparse scholarly work which has focused on the use of digital technologies in the music industry from a developing economy perspective, for example, Ghana and other developing economies.
This research will equally fill in as a basis of reference for students and researchers who might need to additionally examine issues involving digital technology use in the music industry.
Regarding practice, this study will inform the music industry players and Ghanaians on the impact of digital technology in the music industry of Ghana. Furthermore, this research will expose the opportunities and/or challenges confronting music industry stakeholders as well as presenting guidelines on how their colleagues are taking advantages of the opportunities while addressing the challenges.
Policy makers will also hinge on the findings of this study to make up-to-date pronouncements concerning digital technologies in Ghana.
Chapter Outline
The thesis is presented in Seven (7) chapters. A brief description of the chapters is given below: The first chapter is the Introduction: this section presents a blueprint of the study and it encapsulates the research background, research problem, purpose of the research, research objectives, research questions and the research significance of the study.
The second chapter presents a review of existent literature pertinent to this research.
The third chapter discusses the research framework: In this chapter research frameworks used in similar studies are reviewed and explored. Detailed insight into the model used in conducting this study is also provided. All these provide the outline for the research design, methods for collecting data, and devices which serves as a benchmark for the analysis and discussions of the data.
The fourth chapter discusses the research methodology which features the strategies employed for the study and paradigm and the exploration of sampling strategies and size used. The instrument for data gathering and the technique used just as data processing and analysis are explained in this section.
The fifth chapter presents the research findings and this section focuses on the presentation of data, analysis of findings and discussion.
The sixth chapter: Discussions and Analysis; deals with the analysis in order to exhume dominant themes arising from the findings in Chapter five as well as discussion of findings so as to address the questions presented in the first chapter of this study.
