Elsevier shuts down its finance journal citation cartel (chrisbrunet.com)

Article summary

Elsevier, a major academic publisher, has retracted 12 papers from several finance journals due to a citation cartel scheme involving one of its editors, Brian Lucey. The scheme allowed Lucey to publish his own papers and those of his co-authors without proper peer review, artificially inflating their citation counts. Lucey has been removed as an editor from several journals, but remains as editor-in-chief at another journal. The incident highlights concerns about the integrity of academic publishing and the potential for abuse of editorial power.

Main themes

• Academic publishing integrity
• Citation cartel schemes
• Editorial conflicts of interest
• Publishing business models
• Open access alternatives
• Research ethics
• Systemic problems in academia
• Reform and innovation in publishing

What commenters say

• The incident is a symptom of a larger problem with the academic publishing system, which prioritizes profit over integrity.
• Elsevier's business model, which relies on subscription fees, creates incentives for editors to prioritize citation counts over quality research.
• The case highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in academic publishing, particularly with regards to editorial conflicts of interest.
• Some commenters argue that the problem is not limited to Elsevier, but is a systemic issue in academic publishing, where the pursuit of prestige and citations can lead to unethical behavior.
• Others argue that the incident is an isolated case and that Elsevier has taken appropriate action to address the issue.
• There is a need for alternative publishing models, such as open access, to reduce the influence of profit-driven publishers and promote more ethical and transparent research practices.
• The incident also raises questions about the role of editors and the potential for abuse of power in academic publishing.
• Some argue that the current system of academic publishing is outdated and in need of reform, with new models and platforms emerging to challenge traditional publishers.