Overview
A survey conducted in 2024 among Research Performing Organizations (RPOs) in Germany investigated their methods for collecting data on publication costs. This study represents the inaugural comprehensive examination of publication cost recording practices within German RPOs. The investigation aimed to characterize the prevalence and nature of these data collection efforts, assess the reliability of the collected data based on funding sources, and understand the role of this data in strategic decision-making related to the open access transformation. Additionally, it explored perceptions regarding the likelihood of implementing an information budget by 2025.
Research Context
The transition to open access in academic publishing necessitates an understanding of associated costs. For Research Performing Organizations, systematically collecting and utilizing data on publication expenditures is critical for informed strategic planning and resource allocation in support of this transformation. The ongoing shift in publishing models has underscored the importance of transparency regarding publication finances.
Approach
The research employed a survey methodology, administered in 2024 to RPOs in Germany. The invitation was extended to 583 organizations. Of these, 258 completed the questionnaire, yielding a response rate of 44.3%. The survey instrument gathered information on whether RPOs recorded publication costs, the nature of these procedures (binding vs. non-binding), and respondents' assessments of data reliability based on the source of publication funding. It also queried respondents on the perceived importance of publication cost data to the open access transformation, the observed use of this data in strategic decisions, and the likelihood of establishing an information budget at their institutions by 2025.
Findings
- The majority of surveyed RPOs indicated that they recorded publication costs, at least partially.
- Procedures for recording publication costs within these RPOs were frequently described as non-binding.
- The reliability of collected data on publication costs, as rated by respondents, exhibited variation depending on the specific source of publication funding.
- A significant proportion of respondents, 80%, rated the contribution of collecting data on publication costs to shaping the open access transformation as either "very important" or "important."
- However, despite this perceived importance, only 59% of the surveyed RPOs reported using these data as a basis for strategic decisions.
- Most respondents considered the implementation of an information budget at their respective institutions by 2025 to be unlikely.
Why This Matters
The findings illuminate current practices and challenges in managing publication cost data within German RPOs, which are pertinent to the broader open access transformation. The discrepancy between the high perceived importance of publication cost data for open access and its limited utilization in strategic decisions indicates potential areas for improvement. The prevailing unlikelihood of instituting information budgets by 2025 suggests a need for further development in financial planning for open access within these institutions.