A comparative anaylis of subscription and open access journals at a selected university in Cape Town

Abstract

In the past, the custodians of information have been libraries, but with the advent of online-only journal publishing, the choice of publishing model by researchers has had an impact on the exposure and accessibility of the research output published. This has led to the growing number of academic researchers to publish in open access journals despite the risk that their work is freely available online. Open access is an alternative to subscription or closed access; as soon as the research work is available online, it can be accessed by anyone who wants to use it. In doing so, researchers may create opportunities for collaboration and wider recognition, especially in their field of study. The main aim of the study was to explore the advantages of open access over subscription-based publications or academic journals in supporting publication decisions and choosing journals in which researchers can publish. This is a qualitative study using semi-structured interview questions. The target group was 15 researchers identified in the Department of Business Information and Administration in a selected university in Cape Town. The interview questions were mostly done online for the convenience of the respondents. Furthermore, the Scopus database was considered as a secondary source, and systematic literature review (SLR) methodology was applied. The interview data collection tool consisted of two sections, namely semi-structured questions and open-ended question. The aim was to find out which method of journal subscription is favoured by the target group of researchers. The results showed that researchers have a choice of publishing in any journal as long as that journal has a high impact. Recommendations include a platform to offer a publishing model preferred by researchers, and a publishing model that will help researchers to have an impact on the exposure and accessibility of their research output. This study is important to all researchers and Universities who are experiencing economic crisis and this study will help improve researchers’ understanding of their decisions and become aware of the financial and non-financial cost, particularly in South Africa. The recommendations will help researchers to discover the latest research findings globally and possible promotion and collaboration with researchers globally.