In his widely cited - and widely misunderstood - book The End of History and the Last Man, historian and author Francis Fukuyama was heavily criticized for saying that the West had ‘won’ and that there would be no meaningful conflicts to trouble the world with the fall of the Iron Curtain in the late 1980s. The following … Continue reading The end of the paper mill?
Reviewing the literature on predatory publishing
The simplest way to learn about predatory journals and their tricks of the trade is to look at the burgeoning number of articles on the topic. Since 2020, there have been over 2,000 research articles published that mention ‘predatory publishing,' with the rate increasing over time. Indeed, as you can see from the graph below, aside from the spike in … Continue reading Reviewing the literature on predatory publishing
Book review – “The Seven Rules of Trust” by Jimmy Wales
Trust is something we all take for granted. From taking an umbrella with you on a day out because the weather forecast said it would rain, to watching a movie following a friend’s recommendation, we commit to dozens of actions each day based on trusting something we have seen, heard, or sensed in some way. … Continue reading Book review – “The Seven Rules of Trust” by Jimmy Wales
Research doesn’t happen in a vacuum – and here’s the proof
Within a couple of weeks of each other, two decisions have been made that will shape business research and education for years to come – but for very different reasons. One decision is a bold, risky decision that is global in reach and open in outlook; the other is small-minded and narrow, which nevertheless sends a strong message to those it will impact. The first decision has been taken by the … Continue reading Research doesn’t happen in a vacuum – and here’s the proof
What’s in a name?
Imagine you wake up one morning with a set of unusual symptoms. Nothing to worry about, you think, but you had better check online just to make sure. Once you scroll through a few plausible-sounding, non-serious possibilities, your eyes alight on an illness you have never heard of before. But it sounds serious – really serious. You click on the link … Continue reading What’s in a name?
Research? It’s a social enterprise
How do you choose the right journal? Some people might suggest this is an art rather than a science, only possible with years of publishing experience or a wide network of contacts of those at the top of a given field. Others might suggest that you can plan and execute a publication with near certainty, using data to proceed to a positive outcome. The truth, as with all … Continue reading Research? It’s a social enterprise
Accusations frozen in time: How Beall’s List still hurts publishers in 2026
A little-examined consequence of the predatory publishing phenomenon is the damage done to legitimate publishers that got swept up in it – not because they were truly predatory, but because they were listed alongside journals that were. Beall’s List, the well-intentioned and perhaps the most famous predatory publisher and journal list, has long been shuttered. … Continue reading Accusations frozen in time: How Beall’s List still hurts publishers in 2026
Letters from America: AI
The news from business school leaders meeting in Seattle this week was simple: AACSB + ICAM = AI. To translate, it was the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) annual get-together, known as the International Conference and Meetings (ICAM), and the focus was very much on Artificial Intelligence. And by focus, while the … Continue reading Letters from America: AI
Hijack!
A question Cabells is often asked about the coverage of journals in its database products is, ‘How do you find out about them?’ This is not an easy question to answer, as there are so many reasons for a journal to come to our attention, for good or bad – editor recommendation, new launch, author … Continue reading Hijack!
Out of time
This week, hundreds of librarians, publishers, and vendors have congregated in the UK city of Glasgow to attend the annual UK Serials Group (UKSG). A fixture on the scholarly communications events circuit for many years, there was a clear sense this year that things are under strain, and a once vibrant industry is going through … Continue reading Out of time