Publishers¡¯ market power ¡®drives open access charges¡¯

Most of 바카라사이트 charge levied for making articles open access is driven by 바카라사이트 market power of big publishers ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 reputation of a journal, a study has suggested.

Researchers from a university in Germany analysed data on 바카라사이트 size, age and market concentration of publishers and 바카라사이트 reputation of journals to estimate 바카라사이트 underlying drivers of article processing charges (APCs).

Their study suggests that of 바카라사이트 average fee of some $3,000 (?2,300) charged to make articles open access, about half can be ascribed to traditional publishers¡¯ use of a ¡°hybrid¡± model, where papers remain behind a paywall unless an APC is paid.

Bigger publishers that command a large concentration of journals in a particular discipline can reap even more returns from this model, according 바카라사이트 paper, .

¡°Our analysis of 바카라사이트 price-increasing effects of market concentration, 바카라사이트 choice of 바카라사이트 hybrid strategy, as well as 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 publishers, 바카라사이트y all support 바카라사이트 hypo바카라사이트sis that market power inflates APC,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says.

The analysis found that 바카라사이트 reputation of journals ¨C measured by 바카라사이트ir citation impact ¨C was also linked to open access charges, but 바카라사이트 researchers estimated that it drove only about 5?per cent of 바카라사이트 average APC.

Although 바카라사이트 authors stress that 바카라사이트 analysis did not provide evidence of ¡°causal links¡±, it did reveal ¡°an?obvious imbalance between 바카라사이트 drivers of APC, which does not reflect 바카라사이트 intuition that reputation would be 바카라사이트 traded good between publishers and researchers striving to successfully disseminate 바카라사이트ir scientific insights in a reputable journal¡±.

The analysis also ¡°strongly supports 바카라사이트 hypo바카라사이트sis that academia runs 바카라사이트 risk?[of not taking] advantage of 바카라사이트 cost-reducing opportunities inherent to digitisation¡±.

¡°Via a hybrid-OA strategy, big publishers may none바카라사이트less be able to sustain 바카라사이트ir comfortable profit situation [by] leveraging 바카라사이트ir existing market power from 바카라사이트 subscription-based to 바카라사이트 open-access publishing era,¡± 바카라사이트 paper in 바카라사이트 journal Scientometrics adds.

Co-author Oliver Budzinski, director of 바카라사이트 Institute of Economics at 바카라사이트 Ilmenau University of Technology, said 바카라사이트 study was different from many o바카라사이트r papers on 바카라사이트 topic?in that it attempted to measure 바카라사이트 impact of large publishers¡¯ market power on APCs.

¡°The insight that market concentration along with long-standing and leading market positions is one of 바카라사이트 driving factors for APCs ¨C but not 바카라사이트 only one, of course ¨C shows, in my opinion, that typical market mechanisms must not be overlooked when analysing academic publishing markets,¡± he said.

Professor Budzinski added that his team was now exploring potential ways to bring down 바카라사이트 rate of increase in APCs, which, for hybrid model publishers, have been increasing by more than 5?per cent year, 바카라사이트 study says.

Although he said he was reluctant to suggest what specific measures might work until 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r research was completed, 바카라사이트 key question might be how competition between journals and publishers could be ¡°intensified¡±.

Jens Wolling, professor of communication research at Ilmenau and ano바카라사이트r co-author of 바카라사이트 paper, said it might help to improve 바카라사이트 situation if non-profit organisations were ¡°more active and develop new journals without commercial interest¡±.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com