Managing Scientific Journals: a Cultural Viewpoint

Abstract

The paper seeks to explore the role of Editors-in-chief (EiC) within the Library and Information Science, from a cultural view point. Specifically, the paper aims at identifying how the culture of EiC influences the course of a journal belonging to a publishing house. The research was conducted in the event industry. With 5 library events as a point of reference, the paper investigates the negotiation process between EiC of scientific journals and Library Event Organizers (LEO) so as to record the course and nature of negotiations among people with the same as well as different culture. Participant behavior is further tested through the websites of the libraries. Unexpectedly, low-context cultures have different reactions as an outcome of their working experience and their lasting interaction with researchers. Cultural differences can influence the outcome of the negotiation; however, they are dependent variables strongly associated with the work and professional experience of the counterparts involved.