Kopf oder Bauch?

The German publishing industry is currently in the biggest crisis of its existence. Publishing houses are reacting with cost-cutting and a realignment of their products through relaunches. Due to the dynamics in the changing user behavior, the on-going adaptation of the editorial content to the requirements of the reader, becomes more and more important. In this context, the increasing economization of magazines requires additional attention to the co-operation between the editors and management. This paper analysis the decision making processes in the conceptual management of magazines, especially with regard to the interaction between the editors and management. From this analysis, requirements for a successful concept alignment will be derived, that allow publishers to answer questions regarding the optimal concept in a consensual and objective-oriented manner.