Perspectives

When should you begin to think about a publisher RFP? Sooner than you think! We recommend leaving at least 24 months before your publishing contract termination date for information gathering, managing the RFP process, negotiating the contract, and potentially transitioning to another publisher. There are also valuable activities (such as a strategic assessment) to consider before the RFP process itself begins – to position your publications for future success.

Associations that publish their journals via a publishing services agreement with a larger publisher must decide whether they should issue a competitive request for proposals or simply renegotiate a renewal with their incumbent publisher. What are the key considerations in making this important decision?

Associations face a critical challenge when outsourcing publishing to commercial publishers – the loss of control over valuable data. While publishers provide aggregate statistics, they restrict access to detailed data about subscriptions, audience behavior, and marketing performance. This article makes the case for data sovereignty – associations securing unrestricted rights to access and use their data, even when working with external partners such as commercial publishers. Establishing data sovereignty is not just a matter of principle – it has profound practical and commercial implications. Access to journal data is especially valuable – its high discoverability, its structured nature, and the significant daily traffic – make it one of the most valuable assets an association has.

This article makes the case for applying systems thinking to submission and peer review systems (SPRSs) in journals publishing. It argues that the evolving landscape of publishing necessitates a new way of thinking about these fundamental systems. The piece encourages publishers to reconsider their approach to SPRSs, suggesting that systems thinking could revolutionize this critical part of the publishing workflow.

A thorough Request for Information (RFI) and Request for Proposal (RFP) process is crucial for selecting the best Marketing Technology (MarTech) tools. A well-executed RFI process enables organizations to make informed decisions, saving time and resources. Well-constructed RFIs ensure the best technology is selected and integrates seamlessly with the organization's current marketing technology stack as well as their envisioned future marketing technology capabilities. RFIs facilitate cross-functional alignment, marketing adoption, and business case realization, making them valuable investments.

In this interview, C&E's Colleen Scollans talks to change management expert Charlotte Talmage of Uuna about how scholarly publishers and societies can more effectively manage change.

In a podcast episode of Reboot IT, Dave Coriale, President of Delcor, enlists the help of C&E’s Colleen Scollans to explore customer data platforms (CDPs), why CDPs are gaining traction in the 501c community, and whether (and why) one might be in your future. It is 44 minutes of distilled wisdom (perfect for your next dog walk) – well worth the time of anyone working at a professional association or academic society in any capacity.

Historical analysis of bibliometric trends shows scholarly publishing market consolidation over the years. These changes are linked to the emergence of The Big Deal subscription model and Open Access initiatives that have forced publishers into a rapid shift towards new business models focused on volume and scalability.

Transformative Agreements (TAs) are increasingly popular with publishers and institutions. However, they create significant challenges for the society partners of publishers. It is incumbent on societies to engage in frank discussions with their publisher about the impact of the publisher’s open access strategy and TAs on the society’s journals. It is critical to model, as more of the journal becomes open access via TAs, how the society journal’s different revenue streams will be impacted.

C&E’s Colleen Scollans spoke at the inaugural event of Marketing Maestros, an ALPSP Special Interest Group for senior marketing professionals. She discussed how scholarly publishers are incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into various aspects of their businesses – and how marketers in particular are using AI to stay ahead in the ever-evolving marketing landscape.