Concurrent 4D: “How Much Does it Cost?” versus “What are you Getting for/doing with the Money?”
An Overview and Discussion of the Open Access Journal Business Model, (lack of) Transparency, and What is Important for the Various Stakeholders. Much discussion on the Scholarly Kitchen in the last 12 months has centered on a key question: How much does (or should) it cost to publish a journal article? But the cost of journal publishing is more based on historical performance and systems, rather than there being a definitive answer based on a publishing services marketplace. The questions evolve: as a publisher, is/are your journal/s your sole operation? What kind of margin do you need (or want) to secure? Are you transitioning a legacy margin? What services do you offer? Will authors/funders start to ask what an APC is being used for? What operation am I contributing to? Cui bono? This session will provide a summary of the data and various SK discussions, and speakers will raise thought-provoking questions for an industry that largely remains a closed book regarding the finances underpinning its operations.
