Mutual Aid and Open Access Publishing in Africa: Who Benefits? Specific Reference to Kenya
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Date
2011Author
Obachi, Esther K.
Kachero, FW.
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Purpose – A proper mutual aid partnership in research and publishing is one that bridges the
knowledge gap between the developed and developing countries in ways that reduce the interregional
generational knowledge imbalances. In view of the low purchasing power in developing
countries, open access (OA) publishing avails needed reading material for all who have access to the
internet. Foreign sponsored researches in developing countries can uplift the living standards of the
people in these regions if the results of the findings can influence policy and are availed to the people
studied. This study sought to find out if research findings of these are published in OA publications.
Design/methodology/approach – This study conducted a survey on leading local medical research
institutions in Kenya using secondary data and interviews with key informants in these institutions.
Findings – The results failed to support the hypothesis that foreign sponsored researches are
published in prescribed journals as a prerequisite by the sponsors. The findings instead indicated that
local researchers published in international subscription journals because of their desire for prestige
and reach. Consequently, the North-South knowledge inequality is perpetuated more by the local
elite, whose international recognition overrides social benefits, thereby supporting the hypothesis
that foreign funded researches on mutual aid in Kenya result in more private than social benefits.
Practical implications – There is need for the local learned society to embrace a paradigm shift
towards building reputable local journals and accept the OA concept.
Originality – To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first study on this subject in Kenya.
Citation
Journal Of Gender, Information and Development. 2012, vol. 1 (1)Publisher
University of Nairobi College of humanities and social science