Beware of Predatory Publishers

Contributors to JIPLP sometimes email to say that they have been invited to write for often impressive-sounding journals of which they have never heard, and which offer to charge them for the privilege of publishing their work.  These publications are appropriately termed "predatory publishers".  As Wikipedia explains

"In academic publishing, some publishers and journals have attempted to exploit the business model of open-access publishing by charging large fees to authors without providing the editorial and publishing services associated with more established and legitimate journals. "Beall's List", a regularly-updated report by Jeffrey Beall, sets forth criteria for categorizing predatory publications and lists publishers and independent journals that meet those criteria".

Jeffrey Beall's Scholarly Open Access blog carries a list of hitherto identified predatory publishers which, sadly, is a long one. The 2014 list can be surveyed here.

I have just received an email, the relevant parts of which are reproduced below:

13 - September - 2014 

Dear Dr. Jeremy Phillips,

I came across to your research paper titled "Switzerland still not part of Germany, even for trade mark purposes" and feel that your research is having a very good impact
[this "research paper" is actually a 1,350 word Current Intelligence note published this April. I'm not aware of it having any impact on anyone ...].
With a view to begin a long-term fruitful association with you, I invite you to submit your upcoming research articles / papers for publication in Global Journal of Management and Business Research (GJMBR), an international double blind peer reviewed research journal [Has any reader of this blog come across this title or any articles published in it? Has anyone been invited to peer-review any submission made to it? Has anyone had an article rejected by it? It would be good to know].

This may be noted that due date of forthcoming issue GJMBR is 15 October, 2014.

The process of publication is expected to be completed within three to five weeks. Our processes follow rigid quality control measures and comply with international standards in journal publishing. For more details please refer to websites https://GlobalJournals.org (Core Website) and http://JournalofBusiness.org

... 

Yours Sincerely,

Dr. R. K. Dixit

Chief Author (Hon.)

(Fellow of Association of Research in Business [I can find no evidence to suggest that this Association exists])

Global Journals Incorporated [no.150 on Beall's List]

Naturally it is for JIPLP contributors to decide where and how they submit their articles and case notes. However, they are advised to check carefully whether the journals to which they send their work are those which will enable them to reach their target readership, will reflect well upon their professional or scholarly reputation and which offer a truly interactive and constructive peer review and editorial process that will help enhance the quality and the readability of the published product.