From ‘publish or perish’ to ‘publish for purpose’

Abstract

Pressures to publish prolifically have led to an abundance of research on trivial matters rather than on issues of significance. This trend is particularly pronounced in developing countries, where limited access to paid content has fueled the growth of open‐access publications. Additionally, the prevailing “publish or perish” culture has encouraged the pursuit of inconsequential and conformist research. The scholarly integrity of academic institutions is eroded when they struggle with evaluating research impact through metrics, potentially overlooking substantive contribution. The emergence of AI technology adds a fresh dimension to the issue, creating new possibilities for mass output rather than work that is innovative or informed by social values and priorities. This commentary serves as a call to action for scholars, institutions, and policymakers collectively to reshape the trajectory of academic publishing, restoring its sense of purpose through making lasting contributions to the betterment of society.

Editorial: Envisioning the future: elevating MSAR’s impact in management and sustainability research in the Arab world

“…In an era characterized by an overabundance of research focusing on trivial issues, the advent of AI technology is anticipated to further exacerbate this trend, resulting in an increase in studies with minimal impact (Elbanna and Child, 2023). This presents a significant challenge for journals, including MSAR , as emphasized by several scholars, who advocate for a shift toward purpose-driven publishing (Elbanna and Child, 2023; Grandori and Morley, 2022). In response to this challenge, we are implementing a policy that encourages authors to feature a section dedicated to practical and/or social implications within the structured abstract.…”

Perish or Publish?

“…The ultimate goal of evidence-based medicine and outcome studies must always be the improvement of patient care. 5,15,17,18 Dare we say that replication studies, albeit at greater risk for being denied publishing, are still essential to criticize or question, or just as important to corroborate the prior findings of our colleagues. 14,15 Of course, we as other authors in this process will always witness our own personal intellectual as well as professional development, 14 while at the same time always having "fun" whether writing with domestic or international colleagues or mentoring our own fellows.…”

“…5,15,17,18 Dare we say that replication studies, albeit at greater risk for being denied publishing, are still essential to criticize or question, or just as important to corroborate the prior findings of our colleagues. 14,15 Of course, we as other authors in this process will always witness our own personal intellectual as well as professional development, 14 while at the same time always having "fun" whether writing with domestic or international colleagues or mentoring our own fellows. 11,17 Remember, we both have incessantly, repeatedly, and boringly stated while in the role of teacher that whatever your innovation, "if you haven't written it, you haven't done it."…”

“…4 Other variations with the same theme are ubiquitous-"publish and perish," 7,8 "publish and still perish," 9 "to publish or not to publish," 10,11 "publish or be ethical," 12 "why publish?" 13,14 "publish for purpose," 15 as a short list. We both profess to be scholarly and try to be teachers, so we have always enjoyed the pleasure of transforming our thoughts and ideas into mere words.…”

“…Medical students seeking highly competitive residencies (some say even in plastic surgery) have early on recognized that first authorship in high-impact journals will be an asset in the application process. 17,19,20 Hiring policies whether for graduate programs or into the university hierarchy, career advancement, academic promotion and tenure, and even obtaining research grants may be judged on peer-reviewed output alone, 2,7,11,15,[17][18][19]21 or impact factors or citation metrics that may find their way into the curriculum vitae, 4,7,19,21,22 as quantity is easier to measure than quality. 14 To compound the problem, department, hospital, university, or even government status and reputation may depend on just numbers alone.…”