Incentivos perversos, malversación de fondos públicos y la erosión de la integridad en la investigación: una revisión de los desafíos en la publicación académica

The landscape of academic publishing faces systemic challenges that undermine the quality, credibility, and social relevance of research. This article critically examines three main problems: the proliferation of trivial or artificially constructed research problems, the perverse incentives driving excessive authorship, and the ethical and financial concerns associated with open access publishing models. By exploring cases of hyper prolific authorship, the dependence on citation-based rankings, such as the Stanford list, and the economic inefficiencies inherent to the open access business model, this paper highlights how these practices distort the scientific process. The findings suggest that the academic community must reconsider its reliance on quantitative metrics, adopt more holistic evaluation frameworks, and implement structural reforms to ensure the responsible use of public funds and restore trust in the integrity of academic research. This article advocates for a reorientation of publishing practices toward the fundamental goals of advancing knowledge and addressing social needs.