“Publishing Strategies for Career Academics and Research Students” Dr. Ken Boyer Co-Editor, Journal of Operations Management, 2006 - 2011

Editorial Philosophy Criteria for successful publishing in the JOM

Addresses some aspect of “OM” (defined in the broadest sense)

Theory-driven, empirically based Managerial relevance “Not wrong” methodologically - a necessary but not sufficient

condition Other sources of information:

Editorial, see JOM 24(6), 2006, 731-733 Guide for authors:

http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/523929/authorinstructions

Editorial Philosophy What does “theory-driven, empirically based” mean?

How or Why some phenomenon occurs and/or affects performance. How or Why there is a relationship between two or more factors or

phenomena. Studies that explain How and Why operational systems work Empirical = based on observation

Desk rejections (~49%) are usually: Analytical or spreadsheet model to solve a specific problem Proposal of a new or revised improvement program Comparison of alternative decision methods Illustration of some new management technique Non-empirically based conclusions

Some Suggestions Read the JOM

Consider the audience and the editorial

philosophy State the contributions… repeatedly

Answer the “So what?” question

Impact Factors

On-line Review Process

Initial editor’s evaluation Double blind process

2-4 reviewers’ evaluations Associate editor evaluation

Final editor’s evaluation

Author’s influence on the process?

Source: www.journaloperationsmanagement.org/

JOM Decision Summary Flow Chart July 2006 – December 31, 2009 (1307 Total Submissions*)

Overall accept rate ~ 8%

JOM has Global Reach: Percentage of Downloads for JOM in 2009 - ~500,000 total papers per year

16.2% 16.1%

8.6%

5.8% 4.8%

3.5% 3.1% 2.9% 2.8% 2.8% 2.6% 2.3% 1.9% 1.7% 1.5% 1.4% 1.4% 1.4% 1.3% 1.2% 1.1%

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

14.0%

16.0%

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Publishing is about Good Science …. But it is also a social network

Article Downloads – 2009 data Average JOM article is downloaded > 3,000

times in the 1st two years after publication

202,176

302,565

415,106

528,327

662,862

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100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010(Projected)

Article Downloads

Journal Timeliness

Average time to decision Desk reject ~ 9 days First review ~ 87 days Second review ~ 49 days Third review ~ 19 days

Time to publication Available on-line within 1-2 weeks of acceptance Published within 6 months

Be a Reviewer!

Journal quality depends on you! 3-4 reviews per year

What’s in it for you?

First look at “cutting edge” research Opportunity to advance the field Improves your publication potential “Scopus” access

Incoming Papers

Editor

Reviewer

Sorry, I can’t review that

paper because ….

Please don’t be this person!!

By the way, when will you have the reviews for my

paper?

Keys to Publication Success Pick an important problem Go the extra 10% on methodology Write clearly and get input of others Turn papers around quickly – max time between submissions

= 2 months Think of papers as inventory Aim for top journals

Occasionally settle for a lower journal to get confidence

Focus your relationships Manageable number of journals you review for Manageable number of co-authors – some at your school, some outside

A paper not under review Can Not be accepted.

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1st Review TimeAuthor: 1st Revision2nd Review TimeAuthor: 2nd Revision3rd Review timeAuthor: 3rd Revision4th Review timeAuthor: 5th Revision5th Review Time

Keys to Publication Success Every professional interaction can later lead to or limit some

future opportunity If the wide world is 6 degrees of separation, academia is 1 or

2 Match your projects with an eye to contribution, energy and

enthusiasm of partners Assistant prof = hungry and driven Associate = successful, but likely either becoming overcommitted or slacking

off Full = proven researcher but squeezed for time

Publications are good for their own sake – but will you be proud of it in 5, 10 or 20 years?

Focus on core set of journals, but stretch to adjoining fields

Service – professional and to your University Common perception: to be avoided until tenure Reality: you will be asked. Think of it as

A way to learn politics of school Make connections to other faculty Gain visibility

Professional service Societies Journals Local businesses

Teaching Minimize preps to start As you gain experience, branch out Watch for boredome – you get bored =

students get bored Incorporate multiple delivery modes

Lecture, discussion, movies, games, simulations