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April 8, 2020 by Gary Price

Journal Article: “Unbundling Practice: The Unbundling of Big Deal Journal Packages as an Information Practice”

April 8, 2020 by Gary Price

The following article (full text, open access version) was recently added to the Western University repository (Scholarship @ Western). The final version was published in March by the Journal of Documentation.

Title

Unbundling Practice: The Unbundling of Big Deal Journal Packages as an Information Practice

Authors

Samuel Cassady
Western University

Catherine Anne Johnson
Western University

Source

via Scholarship @ Western
April 2020

Final Version Published April 2020
Journal of Documentation
10.1108/JD-09-2019-0187

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to introduce a theoretical framework and approach for studying the evaluation and decision-making practices through which academic librarians attempt to reduce the cost of electronic journal subscriptions – an organizational practice known as the unbundling of big deal journal packages.

Design/methodology/approach

The article presents a literature-based conceptual analysis of several fields to delineate the elements of the practice of unbundling of big deal journal packages. Beyond analysing the prior literature, the discussion is supported by empirical findings from a pilot study on the topic conducted by two of the article’s authors.

Findings

The main finding of the article is that the unbundling of big deal packages is a case of what sociologist refers to as decision-making in a social context. By reviewing previous studies, the article identifies the social and material elements constitutive of this practice. This, in turn, allows to develop questions and concepts for future research on the topic and to position it as an area of inquiry within the field of information behaviour/practices.

Originality/Value

The article is the first attempt to conceptualize the unbundling of big deal journal packages by highlighting its phenomenological status as a type of information practice. In addition, the article proposes a research approach for studying this type of information practice by drawing on insights from the information behaviour/practice literature and enriching them through practice theory contributions in organizational studies and sociology.

Direct to Full Text Article (Open Access Version)
30 pages; PDF.

Filed under: News, Open Access

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About Gary Price

Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com. Gary is also the co-founder of infoDJ an innovation research consultancy supporting corporate product and business model teams with just-in-time fact and insight finding.

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