[A2k] How open access to knowledge (as research articles) is compatible with the knowledge economy

[Armbruster, Chris]

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Dear colleagues,

I would like to draw your attention to the question of A2K as open acess to=
 research articles:
"Cyberscience and the Knowledge-based Economy, Open Access and Trade Publis=
hing: From Contradiction to Compatibility with Nonexclusive Copyright Licen=
sing" (October 2006).  Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=3D938119

The WWW Galaxy heavily favours the severance of the certification of knowle=
dge claims from the dissemination of research papers. Underlying this shift=
 is the emergence of an academic cyberinfrastructure based on open transmis=
sion protocols and open-source software that, in turn, favours open content=
 and open access. =91Openness=92 is fundamentally compatible with the knowl=
edge-based economy if market profits are made from nonexclusive rights. The=
 present conflict between scholars and commercial publishers around =91open=
 access=92 is based on a misunderstanding, for business models in scientifi=
c publishing that are based on the pursuit and enforcement of exclusive int=
ellectual property rights will not persist because technological and econom=
ic conditions disfavour them strongly.

The compatibility of open science and the knowledge-based economy may be en=
hanced if the dissemination of research articles is severed from their cert=
ification. As the marginal cost of digital dissemination plummets, there is=
 a case for the public funding of the electronic dissemination of research =
articles. Public funding could ensure effectively that dissemination is fre=
e to authors and readers  - while reaping savings of several orders of magn=
itude as first copy costs in the WWW Galaxy fall to 1/10th or less of the c=
ost in the Gutenberg Galaxy. This is, however, not true for the certificati=
on of knowledge, especially by peer review, which is likely to become more =
costly if it is to be of any service to readers and authors.

On the assumption that the decoupling of certification and dissemination is=
 desirable and likely, research articles should be disseminated with a none=
xclusive copyright license. This does not require any changes in law, but m=
erely a different contractual arrangement whereby certifiers (e.g. publishe=
rs, learned societies, institutional repositories and whatever new organisa=
tions might emerge) will not be able to claim an exclusive copyright. Prese=
ntly publishers collect monopoly rents because authors transfer the copyrig=
ht of their papers to the publisher. If copyright for the article is no lon=
ger transferred exclusively, but licensed nonexclusively, then a competitiv=
e and efficient market for knowledge services will emerge.

Economic modelling of the potential impact of the open access dissemination=
 of research results is under way. In a first estimate it is valued at roug=
hly $2bn for the UK, $3bn for Germany, $6bn for Japan and $16bn for the USA=
 =96 assuming a social return to R&D at 50% and a 5% increase in access and=
 efficiency (Houghton and Sheehan 2006). This lends salience to the anticip=
ation of the emergence and growth of a new knowledge industry around the ce=
rtification of knowledge and the provision of services to readers and autho=
rs. This new industry will sit atop the open access dissemination of resear=
ch articles and further contribute to growth and innovation.


Chris Armbruster

"Cyberscience and the Knowledge-based Economy, Open Access and Trade Publis=
hing: From Contradiction to Compatibility with Nonexclusive Copyright Licen=
sing" (October 2006).  Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=3D938119

"Five Reasons to Promote Open Access and Five Roads to Accomplish it in Soc=
ial and Cultural Science"  (November 12, 2005).  Available at SSRN: http://=
ssrn.com/abstract=3D846824

"Open Access in Social and Cultural Science: Innovative Moves to Enhance Ac=
cess, Inclusion and Impact in Scholarly Communication"  (November 15, 2005)=
. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=3D849305

Research Network 1989
Founder and Executive Director
http://www.cee-socialscience.net/1989/
Disclaimer: The Research Network 1989 was founded at the European Universit=
y Institute, but it is neither affiliated to nor sponsored by the EUI.

Past Jean Monnet Fellow, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, Europe=
an University Institute
Fellow of the Fondazione Antonio Ruberti (awarded by EIROforum - European O=
rganisation for Nuclear Research (CERN); European Fusion Development Agreem=
ent (EFDA); European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL); European Space Ag=
ency (ESA); European Southern Observatory (ESO); European Synchrotron Radia=
tion Facility (ESRF); Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL).
Past Visiting Fellow, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European =
University Institute

Email: chris.armbruster@eui.eu
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