Description

Advocates of open access have generally focused on the benefits that an open access publication model will have in terms of providing researchers with increased access to scholarly literature. However, there are equally important benefits that open access can have in creating a more economically efficient market for scholarly journals. A business model based on publication charges can potentially enable far greater competition between publishers, ultimately leading to a more functional market than currently exists in the subscription world. In evaluating the various business models that can provide open access, it is important to understand the impact that each model will have on the economics of the scholarly publishing industry. While there are several models that have been proposed for funding journals in an open access world, a number of them reproduce, or in some cases even worsen, the inefficiencies that currently exist in the subscription model. Although providing increased access to scholarly literature is clearly an important aspect of an open access publication model, we must also understand the impact that any new model will have on the long-term efficiency of the scholarly publishing market. New business models that provide increased access while limiting the competition between publishers will ultimately have a negative impact on the efficiency of the scholarly publishing market, as was the case with the “Big Deal” and consortium-level subscription deals. However, a business model that is based on publication charges, paid directly from the research budget of contributing authors, has the potential to provide increased access to scholarly literature, while at the same time creating a more functional market for scholarly journals.

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Jun 14th, 12:00 AM

Beyond Access

Advocates of open access have generally focused on the benefits that an open access publication model will have in terms of providing researchers with increased access to scholarly literature. However, there are equally important benefits that open access can have in creating a more economically efficient market for scholarly journals. A business model based on publication charges can potentially enable far greater competition between publishers, ultimately leading to a more functional market than currently exists in the subscription world. In evaluating the various business models that can provide open access, it is important to understand the impact that each model will have on the economics of the scholarly publishing industry. While there are several models that have been proposed for funding journals in an open access world, a number of them reproduce, or in some cases even worsen, the inefficiencies that currently exist in the subscription model. Although providing increased access to scholarly literature is clearly an important aspect of an open access publication model, we must also understand the impact that any new model will have on the long-term efficiency of the scholarly publishing market. New business models that provide increased access while limiting the competition between publishers will ultimately have a negative impact on the efficiency of the scholarly publishing market, as was the case with the “Big Deal” and consortium-level subscription deals. However, a business model that is based on publication charges, paid directly from the research budget of contributing authors, has the potential to provide increased access to scholarly literature, while at the same time creating a more functional market for scholarly journals.