The Journal Attention Cycle: Indicators as Assets in the Chinese Scientific Publishing Economy

This article analyzes how journal business models are built on variations of an attention cycle. In this cycle, measured attention in the form of bibliometric indicators becomes a key asset that can be converted into readership and submissions, which in turn may generate financial resources. Our article illustrates this in the context of the Chinese publication system, where varying attention cycles coexist. In the Chinese state-run system, measured attention can be converted into public support, as well as increased subscription and submission revenue. Opportunities to assetize and convert attention and financial resources differ radically between English-language journals operating under Chinese control, China-based journals operating with international publishers, or Chinese-language journals. Using data from qualitative interviews with Chinese editors and publishers, we demonstrate how this conceptualization helps reveal crucial differences between these journals as well as the specificity of the Chinese publishing system. In addition, we propose the attention cycle as an analytical tool to study publication systems in other contexts.