Open Access Initiatives and its Implications on Research Transformations

Abstract

The Open Access initiative enhances innovative forms of scholarly inquiry and aids the impactful communication by transforming the way research output is disseminated and published. Prime objective of OA initiative is to improve wide accessibility and promotes visibility of research outputs without geographical barriers. This chapter investigates open access initiatives and the principles behind OA. It identifies the characteristics of OA and types of OA publishing business models. Moreover, the chapter discusses the growth of OA in Africa and examines the current trend in OA journals. Also, the chapter identifies various roles played by stakeholders towards adoption and use of OA for research transformation. This chapter examines different benefits and challenges faced by organizations, libraries, publishers, and researchers towards OA adoption and use for the research advancement. Recommendations on how to improve research outputs' visibility using OA were highlighted. Conclusion and suggestion for further research are provided.