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Article
Free Labor for Costly Journals
Journal of Economic Perspectives (2001)
  • Ted Bergstrom, University of California, Santa Barbara
Abstract

Commercial publishers charge libraries about 6 times as much per page and 16 times as much per citation as nonprofit journals. The paper presents evidence that successful for profit journals are priced at several times average cost. They are able to earn "monopoly profits" despite free entry into the industry because journal reputation is the result of a kind of coordination game. The paper advocates withholding free referee services from overpriced journals.

Disciplines
Publication Date
January 1, 2001
Citation Information
Ted Bergstrom. "Free Labor for Costly Journals" Journal of Economic Perspectives Vol. 15 Iss. 3 (2001)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/ted_bergstrom/5/