Since the introduction of the Web, scholarly
peer-reviewed journal publishers have been wrestling with
how to survive and thrive in a market that facilitates and
encourages the free exchange of electronic content when
their traditional business models are heavily reliant on
print-based pricing and distribution. One emerging
alternative to traditional journal is “open access” –
providing lawful free access to journal content online and
funding its production through other models such as
charging contributors for the privilege of peer review and
branded publishing. This report defines the major
attributes of the open access movement, analyzes the
marketplace for open access, its business models and
drivers, cost structures and funding, highlights and
analyzes the major product and marketing attributes and
overall effectiveness of six open access providers:
BioMed Central, the Public Library of Science,
The Scientific World, the Public Knowledge
Project, The Berkeley Electronic Press and
The Company of Biologists.
