1. Is the publishing industry dead?
Author: Alexis Davis
When ebooks exploded on the scene, experts predicted that the end of print publishing was nigh. Environmentalists loved ebooks because they saved trees. Consumers liked them because, minus printing and distribution costs, they cost less. Many rushed out and bought e-readers. But did the advent of electronic publishing deliver a fatal blow to print publishing? The first ebook appeared in 1998. Surely, twenty-two years is enough time to kill the publishing industry. Yet, publishing houses, bookstores, and libraries are still around. Traditional publishing soon gained another competitor — self-publishing. Independent publishers also changed the publishing game. Careers in publishing remain plentiful. Many who worked in publishing or who themselves self-published decided to start their own publishing company. Clearly, even in the midst of a pandemic, the publishing industry is not dead.
The full entry can be read: Here.
2. Guest post — Publishing in a pandemic: 5 factors limiting scholarly research
Author: Deirdre Watchorn and Chris Smith
Everyone has been impacted by the pandemic but some have been impacted more than others. For many academics, the pandemic has, and continues to be a time of great stress, insecurity and pressure. These are pressures that will cause career-defining damage that impacts the individual, but also have significant repercussions for scholarship, equality, diversity, and society. Five factors reflecting the pandemic-era limitations that will impact publishing pipelines and outcomes are teaching online, lack of collaboration, career stage, gender and humanities scholars.
The full entry can be read: Here.
3. Lessons from 2020 and a big thank you to the research community
Author: Fani Kelesidou
The year, 2020, strongly reiterated the need for openness and collaboration in scholarly publishing. Amidst all the difficulties that 2020 carried, Hindawi is able to adjust and respond to the challenges presented, primarily because it already had many of the necessary mechanisms in place to face them. As a fully open access publisher, breaking down communication barriers and increasing visibility of research has always been a key priority. Hindawi partnered with some of the biggest author service providers in the industry to help researchers during the manuscript preparation and post-publication stages, and integrated Writefull into workflows, an artificial intelligence-based academic language assessment tool that helps authors to enhance their work before submission by improving their use of written English.
The full entry can be read: Here.
4. Deep thoughts on digital transformation and evolution
Author: Carl Robinson
Transformation is a means to an end rather than an end unto itself. When it comes to Digital Transformation, it is the term used by publishers and it probably only makes sense within a particular organisation. Or, more likely, a subset of the organisation that has created a vision of a future state to aspire to. Evolution is about the journey itself, not the end (if ever there is an end). It is about having a consistent approach and mindset that favors strengths and advantages. It is about accepting continuous adaptation, learning, growth and change.
The full entry can be read: Here.
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