Re: Springer blasts Open Choice criticism

[heatherm@eln.bc.ca]

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