How are established, subscription-based publishers making the transition to open access?

Abstract

To some, the publishing industry seems to move at pace measured in geological ages, especially when compared to the fast-moving digital and technology industries. Many have described how publishers were caught on the back foot by the move of open access (OA) from the fringes of publishing to the mainstream, particularly within the UK following the publication of the ‘Finch’ Report. OA has had a marked influence on the publishing industry, leading publishers to reflect on current practices, to have a much more granular approach to systems and processes, and to be engaging even more than previously with other players in the publishing landscape. OA is both a strategic challenge and an opportunity. But for a publisher like Taylor & Francis with a significant number of subscription-based journals, OA creates new levels of complexity, and requires the ability to adapt to new requirements within short timeframes.