Op. cit.: publishing in the humanities and social sciences

Do the humanities and social sciences have the same publishing requirements as the sciences? What can be done to counter perceptions that acquisition funds have migrated away from publications in the fields of the humanities and social sciences to meet the escalating cost of electronic and print journals in the natural and applied sciences? With university presses, non-profit publishers, and the academy itself under strain, we examine the problems, discuss the continuing requirements of scholarship, the implications for funding strategies, and the role of technology, and give examples of new ventures that suggest possible solutions to the problems. We conclude that the primary values that scholars in the humanities and social sciences hold are not dramatically different from those of other academic disciplines and make recommendations for building a broader base of support for scholarship in these areas.     

Scholarly book publishing practice: the ALPSP survey findings

In summer 2009 ALPSP undertook the first industry‐wide survey into scholarly book publishing practice. This article covers the key findings and attempts to describe the current scholarly book and e‐book publishing landscape. Publishers' development of e‐books varies considerably from early experimentation to being a standard component of their publishing programme. However, publishers of all shapes and sizes have developed some common policies and practices despite the rapid evolution of an emerging element of scholarly publishing. E‐books currently make up a small, if growing, proportion of total book sales, although they are currently one of the most talked about developments in the entire publishing industry.     

Statistical reality in Canadian book publishing

In Canada, data on book publishing are collected and disseminated by a variety of agencies. The types and collectors of data are described, and the accuracy and completeness of data are assessed. The relationship between available statistical information and policy formation and application in support of book publishing is discussed, and Canadian programs to support writing and publishing are evaluated. Rowland Lorimer is director of the Canadian Centre for Studies in Publishing. He is active in research in publishing policy and mass communications.     

Children’s book publishing on the ascent

Children’s book publishing has grown dramatically over the past ten years. John Donovan reviews trends in children's book publishing and bookselling, focussing on retail sales. Although he sees cause for satisfaction and optimism, he warns against complacency. He has written several books for young readers.     

Crossing culture in children’s book publishing

Conclusion Children’s books are cultural products that face unique challenges when crossing cultural boundaries. Among these challenges are the translation into a new language, the cost of the translation both in terms of money and content, and the culture of the destination market. The main consumers of translations of children's books are currently developed countries such as France, Germany, and Italy. Less developed countries such as China and Korea, though, are experiencing a growth in their children's book markets. Although international boundaries are becoming less defined in today's market place and although there is an emphasis on multiculturalism within the United States, more children's books are licensed for translation in foreign markets than in the domestic American market. American publishers need to feel more secure in their ability to publish translations of children's books profitably. Only then will American children be able to have this important tool to help prepare them for a growing international environment.     

The trade book publishing industry in South Korea

Publishing Research Quarterly -     

Barycenter representation of book publishing internationalization in the Social Sciences and Humanities

This paper introduces a novel application in bibliometrics of the barycenter method. Using places of publication barycenters, we measure internationalization of book publishing in the Social Sciences and Humanities. Based on 2002–2011 data for Flanders, Belgium, we demonstrate how the geographic center of weight of book publishing is different for the Social Sciences than for the Humanities. Whereas the latter still rely predominantly on domestic Flemish and continental European publishers, the former are firmly Anglo-Saxon oriented. The Humanities, however, show a more pronounced evolution toward further internationalization. For the already largely internationally oriented Social Sciences, in most recent years, the share of British publishers has grown. The barycenter method proves to be a valuable tool in the representation of research internationalization of book publications. This is especially the case when applied non-Anglophone countries.     

Changes in the role of the commissioning editor in academic book publishing

This article reviews research on the role of the commissioning editor in academic book publishing. It argues that there has been a historic shift from a primarily ‘gatekeeper’ role to a more proactive role in shaping what authors write, driven by the requirements of business strategy, the need to focus more closely on end‐user needs, and, increasingly, by the new challenges of commissioning within a digital environment.     

Understanding end‐users in academic book publishing

This article reviews ways that commissioning editors in academic book publishing can better understand the end‐users of their products. It discusses available market resources, reports, and market research undertaken by other publishing companies and consultants, before going on to look at some of the existing internal sources that commissioning editors can draw on. It considers both qualitative and quantitative ways of testing and developing a commissioning editor's understanding of end‐users to improve market reach and customer satisfaction. The article concludes with a case study illustrating how one publisher used research on end‐users to improve its products and be more successful in the market.     

国有出版与民营书业合作模式探析

<关于进一步推进新闻出版体制改革的指导意见>对民营书业的地位与身份再一次以文件形式加以确认,对民营书业的作用与地位从政治与经济的角度加以界定.出版界不少人普遍认为,这是截至目前中国政府管理机关对民营书业的最客观、最科学的评价.也是动员全社会力量促进文化大发展与大繁荣的一项重要举措.本文着重就民营书业与国有出版单位的合作,特别是资本的合作这一关键举措,就合作对象的选择、兼并重组或者收购中对方资产与价值的认定、合资后双方角色的定位、合作中需要注意的问题进行了有针对性的阐述.     

青春文学MOOK及其对图书出版业的启示

尽管出版界对青春文学MOOK尚存争议,但它已走进大众视野并迅速成为市场热点.本文在概述青春文学MOOK发展状况并分析其特点的基础上,指出这一新的图书形式对我国图书出版业的启示:一是应当建立更多元、更有价值的阅读模式;二是建立互动机制,应对营销新时代;三是打造原创出版平台,挖掘原创佳作;四是以内容为核心拓展产业链外延价值.     

金融危机背景下的中国图书出版业发展战略及策略分析

受金融危机的冲击,世界各国图书出版业面临市场萎缩、销量下滑、融资困难、裁员节流等严峻形势.在国外出版业萧条和国内实施扩大内需政策的背景下,我国图书出版业的发展面临全新的挑战和机遇.我国出版业如何变压力为动力,在"危"中寻"机"?对此,本文从战略和战术的角度提出了积极探寻"寒冬"突围之策.     

Normative drift and self‐correction in scholarly book publishing: The case of Makerere University

University academics face multiple pressures to publish. These pressures emanate from contexts with different, often competing, social norms, which result in academics publishing for reasons that may run counter to accepted scientific practice. This paper asks what decisions are being taken by academics when it comes to their choice of scholarly book publisher. An analysis of books selected from more than 2,500 self‐reported scholarly publications produced by academics at Makerere University in Uganda from 2011 to 2017 shows that 31 scholarly books were published. Of these books, more than half (54%) were published by publishers that do not follow accepted scholarly publishing practice. Findings also show that there was a sharp decline in books published with suspect publishers in the second half of the 7‐year period. The article discusses possible reasons for the selection of suspect publishers and considers four factors that may account for the observable decline: (1) a cyclical downturn, (2) improved research management and reporting, (3) explication of the norms of science, and (4) self‐correction.