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The aim of this paper is to aid the DIY artist in moving towards sustainability through the use of new technologies, which will be achieved by defining DIY music culture, identifying the creative and business needs of an artist as well as establishing a model for artists to be self‐sufficient.

The research methodology consisted of a mixture of unstructured interviews, such as e‐mail, telephone and face‐to‐face. A total of 15 interviews were conducted with DIY artists from local music scenes around the UK.

The DIY musicology model is a foundation for the DIY artist to be self‐sufficient through the three main perspectives: artistic process, managerial process and information systems.

Many artists and managers continue in their struggle to be independently sustainable, therefore it is necessary to continue this research on a wider scale.

By gaining a more in‐depth understanding of the sub‐sectors within the music industries, artists and managers can understand more about how to manage their own creative activities or projects.

Through a strong DIY ethic, with an emphasis on creativity and self‐management, a clear understanding of local music scenes helps to identify one of the key sub‐sectors of the music industries as well as demonstrate that sub‐cultures have value.

The paper discusses issues of sustainability within local music scenes from the perspective of the DIY artist, which is a new area of academic research.

This paper aims to investigate the potential impacts that differences between UK and US copyright laws for sound recordings have on musicians. It also highlights the needs for continued standardisation of international copyright laws (particularly those for sound recordings), copyright law education for creators, and a need for musicians to re‐think future artistic and managerial decisions.

In this critical analysis of current academic literature and legislation, significant differences between the domestic copyright laws of the UK and USA have been identified. The impacts of these differences on musicians are discussed and conclusions drawn.

Findings suggest that there are several significant differences between the UK and US copyright laws for sound recordings, which do impact on musicians in both countries. However, determining the degree of impact is dependent on several contributing factors: the nationality of the musician; the level of success of the musician; the creative roles adopted by the musician; and the ambition of the musician.

Research scope was limited to the domestic copyright laws of the UK and USA only; and, specifically, the copyright laws for sound recordings. Findings were generalised for all musicians, regardless of type or genre.

This paper is one of the first to investigate the impact of differences in domestic copyright laws on musicians, and identifies several strategy issues that must be considered by musicians when making future artistic and managerial decisions.

The purpose of the paper is to conceptually elaborate two important mechanisms, authenticity and fuzziness, that affect how audiences react to deviations from existing genres by artists that are making their first entry. In cultural industries such as music, social categorization systems play an important role in the success of actors. Audience members evaluate entering artists vis‐à‐vis the existing, collective system of categories and related normative social codes, and may or may not impose penalties for code violations.

This is a conceptual paper and the conceptual framework is built on recent theorization regarding social categories in organizational fields. A key premise is that such categories, including musical genres, are fuzzy with blurred boundaries and partial membership. Such fuzziness is likely to affect organizational viability and dynamics.

Based on the conceptualization, the baseline proposition is that artists making their first entry are likely to face higher penalties by audiences if they deviate from existing genres. However, the higher the idiosyncratic authenticity of an artist, the smaller such penalties are. Moreover, we expect penalties to be smaller when genre fuzziness increases.

Besides contributions to theory, the propositions that are stated in the paper should have relevance to record companies and artists when they are making strategic decisions regarding artist identity upon first entry.

The paper offers a novel perspective to extant research in music regarding genres, categories, and organizational identities. Furthermore, the paper contributes to recently emerged sociological theory on fuzzy categories and authenticity.

The purpose of this paper is to critique the discourse of the digital divide and to propose ways of responding to digital inequalities.

Illustrations of arguments are based on reviews of academic literature, projects reports, policy documents and research findings from the Penceil project, and are informed by critical theory. The research consisted of 47 semi‐structured interviews and action research involving designing an e‐literacy curriculum and running a course based on it.

A discourse of missed opportunities and “being left behind”, present in policy statements and popular media, leads to objectifying non‐users of information and communication technologies (ICT) as “others”. This discourse is often internalised by non‐users, but it does not necessarily lead to positive actions, leaving some feeling inadequate. So far initiatives seeking to address the digital divide have had moderate success. To respond to digital exclusion we need to oppose the unchecked spread of e‐services, and help non‐users of ICT to become users or (if they choose to) informed “refusniks”. Initiatives aiming to facilitate people's sustainable and meaningful use of ICT ought to draw on individual and community resources. A curriculum should be determined by learners' experiences and their expressions of needs, and go beyond IT skills.

The paper does not offer a comprehensive review of digital exclusion, concentrating instead on chosen problems and arguments. It is based on the UK experience, and thus more relevant to developed rather than developing countries.

The paper raises awareness of different issues related to digital exclusion and ways of addressing them.

The paper calls to question current discourse and initiatives addressing the digital divide, highlighting their limitations. It presents alternative ways of responding to digital exclusion.

Taking into account the increasing prices of attending concerts and gigs and the decreasing prices and better sound quality of CDs and music in file‐computer format, is the future of music events threatened by music CDs? Are clients' perceptions about concerts and CDs very different? This study aims to answer these research questions by comparing important perceptions of concert attendees and CD buyers.

An empirical study is conducted in two different contexts: CD buyers and concert attendees. In order to answer the research questions outlined the most appropriate statistical tool is the student's t‐test. The variables to compare do not have normal distributions; therefore, non‐parametric tests have been conducted to confirm the results. In addition, a discriminant analysis has been applied in order to assure that both consumers sub‐samples differ with regard to the variables used in the study.

The future of music events is not threatened at all by music CDs. On one hand, the concert industry has been increasingly making more profits in many countries in last decade. On the other hand, consumer satisfaction, price fairness perception, willingness to pay, customer value, and product/service quality are significantly more highly ranked in concert attendees than in CD buyers. The statistical analyses show clients' perceptions about concerts and CDs are very different. All the variables analysed except image have been significantly different in both sub‐samples of consumers.

This paper examines customer perceptions of two of the most important sectors in the music industry: concerts and CDs, using variables that directly measure these perceptions. It is crucial for music managers to understand motives and feelings of music consumers of these basic sectors in order to make appropriate decisions.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate information communications technologies (ICT)‐mediated inclusion and exclusion in terms of sexuality through a study of a commercial social networking web site for gay men.

The paper uses an approach based on technological inscription and the commodification of difference to study Gaydar, a commercial social networking site.

Through the activities, events and interactions offered by Gaydar, the study identifies a series of contrasting identity constructions and market segmentations that are constructed through the cyclic commodification of difference. These are fuelled by a particular series of meanings attached to gay male sexualities which serve to keep gay men positioned as a niche market.

The research centres on the study of one, albeit widely used, web site with a very specific set of purposes. The study offers a model for future research on sexuality and ICTs.

This study places sexuality centre stage in an ICT‐mediated environment and provides insights into the contemporary phenomenon of social networking. As a sexualised object, Gaydar presents a semiosis of politicised messages that question heteronormativity while simultaneously contributing to the definition of an increasingly globalised, commercialised and monolithic form of gay male sexuality defined against ICT.

This paper aims to examine the issue of illegal downloading of music under an ethical lens.

The theoretical framework observed was one which included three independent variables: individual, situational and experimental elements. The dependent variable of the study was legal vs illegal downloading of music. A 20‐item questionnaire was completed by 84 respondents. The final four questions in the study were guilt‐inducing questions (which the respondent was informed of in compliance with ethical primary research); the remainder of the questions were neutral in nature.

The paper finds that the respondents illegally download despite viewing the act as immoral. Respondents choose to morally disengage from the non‐ethical nature of the act in an attempt to avoid feeling guilty about illegal downloading and also to avoid any blame being attributed to them personally. Many respondents feel the act of illegal downloading is simply today's reality and that there is nothing wrong or immoral about illegal downloading. Those who illegally download were less likely to attack the activity for being wrong. Active music fans were more likely to engage in illegal downloading than passive ones. Being a student versus being gainfully employed did not affect downloading behaviour.

A limitation of the study was the difficulty in getting people to disclose the truth about their own ethical violations. A related limitation was the difficulty in obtaining respondents, since participation in such a study meant revealing their music consumption behaviour. However, in the end, social networking proved to be a successful way of recruiting participants.

The results cast light on the obstacles managers in the music business face in eliminating music piracy.

The results show the reasons for the difficulties in eliminating this widespread crime, because of the ethical ambiguity involved.

The study has the effect of explaining music piracy very clearly through the application of ethical/psychological theory. This has not been done before.

This paper seeks to describe a deep investigation of the phenomenon of internet engagement amongst older people. The likelihood of internet engagement has been shown in previous work to rapidly decrease with age, and patterns of disengagement are most pronounced amongst older people.

The study comprises a qualitative investigation consisting of observation and interviews conducted within a programme of internet literacy workshops funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.

The reflection of previous research with data collected has led to the development of a model of older people's internet engagement. This model helps us better understand the context for patterns of engagement and disengagement with the internet.

The model of internet engagement is used to highlight a number of strategies that should be considered in future policy intervention in the area of digital inclusion.

The model described offers a more sophisticated instrument for understanding the issue of the digital divide amongst this excluded group and potentially may be applied more generally in understanding the complex nature of this issue.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the facets of copyright licensing for commercial composers. As traditional business models within the music industry wane, there emerges a tacit opportunity for composers to exploit copyright through partnerships with third‐party entrepreneurs, across sectors such as television, video games and film.

A case study is utilised to identify opportunities within the television sector for commercial composers who own both publishing and mechanical copyright. Despite the economic crisis facing the entertainment industries, the paper identifies facets for commercial composers through licensing their intellectual property (IP) to third‐party entrepreneurs.

Composers who own both publishing and mechanical rights arguably hold a market advantage, resulting in an emergence of “one‐stop” licensing agreements – and less administrative fees – for major publishers.

The implications asserted within this paper relate specifically to the television sector and further research could be undertaken in order to examine the utilisation of similar practice across different sectors, such as video games, and film, within which different opportunities and limitations will undoubtedly exist.

The implications for composers and managers is clear. A basic understanding of key legal terms, contract structure and the administrative functions of societies such as the MCPS‐PRS Alliance, are essential. This paper offers a valuable insight into very current changes across both the music and television sectors, identifying tangible opportunities for commercial composers.

This paper explores the facets of copyright licensing for commercial composers within new sectors including television. The author believes that sectors such as television, film and videogames can and do provide lucrative opportunities for independent musicians, composers and record labels. It is essential to explore such opportunities.

Consumer knowledge is a very important asset for an organisation. Two types of consumer knowledge have been identified, “knowledge about customers” including customer segments, individual customer preferences, potential customers, and “knowledge possessed by customers” including knowledge about product ranges, companies, and the marketplace. e‐Commerce offers an ideal medium for the creation and exchange of both types of knowledge. This paper presents the results of an initial phase in a research cycle that looks at e‐Commerce through the lens of knowledge management. It examines e‐Commerce provision made by organisations for customers across seven facets ranging from transactional to relational facilities. The results of a self‐evaluation of companies' e‐commerce propositions are contrasted with customer expectations to determine divergence and alignment. Implications are discussed and conclusions proposed.