The Strategic Marketing of Science, Technology, and Medical Journals

A Business History of a Dynamic Marketplace, 2000–2020

verfasst von: Albert N. Greco

Verlag: Springer International Publishing

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Über dieses Buch

This book analyzes the various economic and marketing strategies utilized by the five major STM commercial scholarly journal publishers since 2000. This period has witnessed tremendous economic, marketing, and technological growth including the migration from a print only to a hybrid publishing format. With this growth, the industry has also seen the rise of open access publishing, copyright challenges by websites such as Sci-Hub, the emergence of sharing platforms such as ResearchGate and Academia.edu, as well as the impact of Plan S on publishers, universities, and authors. Given this incredible rate of change across the industry, the author explores the diverse strategies and structures created by the largest STm publishers to decipher their effectiveness in addressing technological, ethical, and copyright issues. Also, he examines how mergers and acquisitions diversified operations, such Elsevier's acquisition of Bepress, SSRN, and SCOPUS, among other platforms. Scrutinizing the different managerial, marketing, technology, and economic-financial strategies crafted by scholarly journal publishers between 2000-2020, this book offers a comprehensive assessment of the industry's attempts to identify, understand, cope with, and minimize or defeat the herculean threats to its business model.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

Chapter 1. Preface

Abstract

In this business history, scientific, technical, and medical scholarly (STM) journal publishing are analyzed. Other substantive issues explored include: the strategies and structures developed and utilized by various STM journal publishers; the impact of open access (OA) and the development of article processing charges (APCs); technical issues, including data mining; allegations about the creating of an “oligopoly;” the emergence of pre-prints; and issues related to intellectual property (IP).

Albert N. Greco

Chapter 2. Introduction to History and Development of Scientific, Technical, and Medical [STM] Journals

Abstract

From rather humble origins, the first scientific, technical, and medical (STM) journal the Journal des Scavans was launched in France in January 1665. Within a few months the Royal Society in the U.K. released the first issue of Philosophical Transactions, a journal still publishing today. There was a need for journals; and new journals were launched aided by the widespread use of the printing press. This chapter analyzes: journal growth rates (about 10 journals by 1699 and 100,000 1999); increases in STM students, colleges, faculty, researchers, research institutions, the “publish or perish” movement,” the development of journal citation indices, the need for peer review of articles, and financial support for various STM projects. The original journals were sponsored by societies, but eventually university presses and commercial publishers entered the sector, impacting directly its rapid growth.

Albert N. Greco

Chapter 3. The State of the Scholarly Journal Publishing Industry in 2000

Abstract

By 2000, scientific, technical, and medical (STM) journal publishing was a well-established component of the entire academic and research sector publishing high quality and “must have, need to know information” journals with high citation impact indices for an expanding number of universities, research centers, academics, researchers, and students. STM journals traditionally required paid annual subscriptions; and many libraries complained about the high subscription fees causing a “serials crisis” for hard-pressed libraries. The development of the internet sparked interest in preprints, digital journals, hybrid journals, and gold OA journals. And many publishers “bundled” a cluster of journals, a procedure called the “big deal,” which sparked a backlash. However, overall, the future looked rather promising for STM publishers at the start of the twenty-first century.

Albert N. Greco

Chapter 4. The Impact of Disruption: 2001–2012

Abstract

Many STM commercial publishers, societies, and university presses possessed certain competitive marketing advantages because: they published impressive journals with high citation indices; and their size, global reach, scale, and revenue streams provided them with a sense of confidence about their pivotal role in the transmission of knowledge. Because of paid journal subscription revenues, many publishers had the financial resources to purchase smaller journals, increase the number of journals in their portfolio, and, for some firms, the ability to launch megajournals. Yet most publishers faced the specter of disruption in the marketplace, specifically competition from preprint platforms, intense criticism about the “serials crisis” and the “big deal,” and problems with piracy and the development of “shadow libraries.” Many journal publishers became very concerned between 2001 and 2012 about these criticisms and the growing calls to create mandatory OA policies and regulations.

Albert N. Greco

Chapter 5. The Impact of Legal, Intellectual Property, and Copyright Infringement Issues: 2000–2022

Abstract

Intellectual property (IP) is of pivotal importance to the STM journal sector since it provides the legal protection for authors and the content in a publisher’s journal. There are 4 types of IP (i.e., trademarks; trade secrets; patents; and copyright), and all are significant. But most publishers worry about copyright issues because of threats from pirates and copyright infringers. Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States provided the legal protection for IP. However, the Congress had to pass laws that stipulated the terms, rights, and obligations of IP holders. Eventually the U.S. codified its copyright laws into the “Copyright Law of the United States,” which is 17 U.S.C. (United States Code). Various STM publishers, over the years, confronted pernicious copyright infringement problems, including the famous Sci-Hub litigation in: the U.S. District Court (in the Southern District of New York); and in India.

Albert N. Greco

Chapter 6. The Responses of the Major STM Journal Publishers: 2013–2020

Abstract

In spite of these positive growth rates in the STM sector, serious problems emerged that threatened the basic business model of STM publishers. The concerns included: criticism about publisher’s profits; the rapid movement toward digital publications and the related expenses associated with this transformation; widespread support for Plan S and open access; the Nelson Memo; the impact of Covid-19 and the lockdown of most U.S. universities and research facilities; and increases in journal subscription fees. Yet many publishers created some innovative marketing strategies. STM publishers emerged by 2020 with important journals that, overall, generated enough cash flow to support current and projected operations.

Albert N. Greco

Chapter 7. The Future of STM Journals

Abstract

The transformation of science, technology, and medical (STM) journals from a print orientation to a hybrid to a digital only format, along with increased open access (OA) regulations, and criticism about journal prices, taxed the resilience of many STM publishers. However, the purpose of a business has not changed since the dawn of time. It is to understand and satisfy the wants and needs of consumers. Most STM publishers have been doing this successfully since 1665, and it is likely that they will continue to understand and respond effectively to the constantly changing STM marketplace in the years to come.

Albert N. Greco

Backmatter

Titel: The Strategic Marketing of Science, Technology, and Medical Journals
verfasst von: Albert N. Greco
Verlag: Springer International Publishing
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-031-31964-8
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-31963-1
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31964-8