Innovating editorial practices: academic publishers at work

Area of Science:

• Scholarly communication
• Publishing studies
• Scientific integrity

Background:

• Innovative peer review procedures face slow adoption despite controversies and evolving expectations.
• Understanding the conditions and decision-making factors for adopting peer review innovations is crucial.
• This study investigates commercial publishers' editorial processes and innovation considerations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To study the structure of commercial publishers' editorial processes.
• To reveal how the benefits of peer review innovations are understood.
• To describe the considerations influencing the implementation of innovations.

Main Methods:

• Field visits to editorial offices of two large academic publishers.
• Interviews with editors not affiliated with large publishers.
• Analysis of transcribed field notes using coding software.

Main Results:

• Commercial publishers exhibit hierarchical decision-making structures for editorial practices.
• Innovation adoption hinges on stakeholder input, reputation, efficiency, and costs, with top management approval.
• Tensions exist between commercial interests (reputation, efficiency) and substantial editorial arguments.
• Independent journals show more flexible, less hierarchical processes, decoupling commercial and editorial views.

Conclusions:

• Peer review innovation adoption is significantly influenced by commercial factors like reputation, efficiency, and implementation costs.
• These commercial considerations deeply impact the core editorial and peer review processes.
• Findings extend beyond traditional publishing economics to the heart of editorial decision-making.