Toward a cost/utility model for social science periodicals

The fiscal pressures currently facing college and university campuses provide ample incentives for developing resource allocation models which maximize effectiveness. University libraries have not been exempt from the need to efficiently allocate stable or shrinking budget dollars. However, this objective is complicated by two factors: (a) the increasing number of scientific journals from which to choose; (b) skyrocketing production and distribution costs of printed material. This article discusses a citation-indexing model for business and related social science periodicals. The model considers journal subscription costs and value-in use to researchers.