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Paying for Open Access

Author

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  • Stich, Lucas

    (LMU Munich)

  • Spann, Martin

    (LMU Munich)

  • Schmidt, Klaus M.

    (LMU Munich)

Abstract

Open access (OA) publishing upends the traditional business model in scientific publishing by requiring authors instead of readers to pay for the publishing-related costs. In this paper, we aim to elicit the willingness to pay (WTP) of authors for open access publishing. We conduct two separate field studies with different methodological approaches in different scientific disciplines (economics and medicine). First, a choice-based conjoint (CBC) analysis measures stated preferences of 243 economists in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland regarding their valuations of open access publishing in the “Top 5” economics journals. Second, a field experiment at four different open access medical journals elicits authors’ self-determined (“Pay-What-You-Want”) payments for open access publications. The results provide a plausible range of authors’ valuations, given that the first study rather provides an upper bound and the second study a lower bound of authors’ willingness to pay for open access publishing.

Suggested Citation

  • Stich, Lucas & Spann, Martin & Schmidt, Klaus M., 2021. "Paying for Open Access," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 271, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    • Handle: RePEc:rco:dpaper:271
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. Riener, Gerhard & Traxler, Christian, 2012. "Norms, moods, and free lunch: Longitudinal evidence on payments from a Pay-What-You-Want restaurant," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 476-483.
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    9. Fehr, Ernst & Schmidt, Klaus M., 2006. "The Economics of Fairness, Reciprocity and Altruism - Experimental Evidence and New Theories," Handbook on the Economics of Giving, Reciprocity and Altruism, in: S. Kolm & Jean Mercier Ythier (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Giving, Altruism and Reciprocity, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 8, pages 615-691, Elsevier.
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    Cited by:

    1. Eells, Linda & Farrell, Shannon & Kelly, Julia, 2023. "AgEcon Search: Bringing the World to the Classroom," Applied Economics Teaching Resources (AETR), Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 5(2), March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    open access; willingness to pay; choice-based conjoint analysis; pay-what-you-want; field experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • M31 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Marketing
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media

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