除了某些大学和基金会的出版社之外,图书出版是一种营利性活动。归根结蒂,一个出版社必须赚得足够的资金以支付其费用,否则它将遭到与任何失败的企业同样的命运:要么自愿或被迫破产,要么被他人接管。然而,许多出版商却认为他们的活动实质上与其他类型的商业冒险大不相同。在他们看来,与其把图书出版与贸易或商业行为相提并论,还不如将它视为专业性文化活动的一部分。即使他们承 Book publishing is a for-profit activity with the exception of some university and foundation publishers. In the final analysis, a publishing house must earn enough money to pay for it otherwise it will suffer the same fate as any failed business: either voluntarily or forced into bankruptcy or take over by others. However, many publishers think their activities are fundamentally different from other types of business ventures. In their view, it is better to consider it as part of a professional cultural activity than to compare it to trade or business. Even if they inherit