Re: Springer blasts Open Choice criticism

["Sally Morris \(ALPSP\)" <chief-exec@alpsp.org>]

Unless I've missed it, you have not made allowance for rejection rate (for
a good quality journal, that would be at least 50% in most disciplines).
Processing up to the point of rejection/withdrawal therefore needs to take
place for at least 1440 articles a year

Sally Morris, Chief Executive
E-mail:  chief-exec@alpsp.org

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <heatherm@eln.bc.ca>
To: <liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu>; <tscott@uab.edu>; <heatherm@eln.bc.ca>;
<mikes@athabascau.ca>
Sent: Friday, October 01, 2004 1:21 AM
Subject: Re: Springer blasts Open Choice criticism

> Great to know that JMLA is still alive and well, Scott, and your efforts
> as a volunteer are much appreciated.  Please note that my revised
> estimate provides for a really nice salary for you by Canadian
> standards, and an assistant editor.  I've also upped the support staff
> and given them raises, and increased the overhead to 30%.  I'm still
> under $500 US per article, though.
>
> One very important point that Scott raises is that much of the costs
> associated with publishing as is are related to the costs of print
> production and distribution. This estimate assumes electronic-only,
> open-access only (i.e. no authentication systems costs), and a nonprofit
> (i.e. no allowance for taxes or profits).  This also assume a single
> payment system - either organizational support or subsidy, or, if
> author-pays, on a large scale (e.g. JISC pays in the UK).  Otherwise, an
> author charges system on a per-article basis will have associated
> administrative costs, although these will be less, I'm pretty sure, than
> managing subscriptions.  (Unless the journal has VERY few subscriptions,
> of course).  These kinds of lower costs will only occur when print
> production is dropped.
>
> There will still be some demand for print, so here's my business tip for
> the day:  print-on-demand, paid for by the consumer who wants the item
> in print.
>
> Here is my revised estimate:
>
> High-end STM journal, 720 articles per year
> ICAAP software & support:  $3,000 Cdn per year
> Two academic editors:  $200,000 Cdn per year
> Two full-time assistants:  $100,000 Cdn per year (note:  they've received
a
> raise since my last estimate - one has a Master's in English, the other
> in the journal's discipline)
> Benefits X .25 for all staff:  $75,000
> Subtotal:  $378,000
> Overhead at 30% $113,400
> Total: $491,400
>
> divided by 720 articles = $682 Cdn, or about $477 US per article (approx.
> .7 exchange rate).
>
> best,
>
> Heather Morrison