Transaction costs of the scientific journal editorial: management possibilities and limitations

Purpose: is to identify the features of transaction cost management in the activities of the Russian scientific journal editorials.

Methods: the study is based on the use of universal general scientific research methods, elements of strategic, economic, organizational, management analysis and a systemic approach to the organization of management processes. Transaction costs are estimated based on the ordinal approach, and the most common classification of them is used for the analysis.

Results: the article considers and characterizes the categories of transaction costs that affect the functioning of the editorial. For each the editorial, the quality, factors of occurrence and structure of these costs will be individual, which depends on the target settings for the development of the scientific journal. From the point of view of management, the external and internal directions of interactions are analyzed. It is emphasized that the purpose of management is precisely to optimization the costs for the implementation of transactions. In this sense, the existing possibilities are shown and the main limitations of management are determined. The practical operation of transaction cost management mechanisms is illustrated by the example of the editorial office of the scientific journal "MIR (Modernization. Innovation. Research)".

Conclusions and Relevance: the scientific journal editorial is an infrastructural unit of the scientific field. In its activities, it carries out a large volume of interactions of various directions, therefore, it is under the pressure of transaction costs, which can be mitigated by means of management influence. Management capabilities are largely determined by the internal potential of the editorial office (knowledge, management, innovation, finance), as well as support from industry market organizations. The main limitations are the property of "infinite interchangeability" of transaction costs (when the elimination of some inevitably generates others) and the complexity of their identification and assessment with a lack of a methodological base and practical tools. The measures applied in practice are often situational in nature, which can reduce their effectiveness. Therefore, the systematic approach to optimizing transaction costs within the overall management of the organization is recommended for the editorial.

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