The review process for submissions to JSMS is similar to that used by other scholarly journals indexed by SCI/SSCI(Scientific Citation Index, Social Scientific Citation Index).

When the Editors receive a manuscript, they read it in order to determine whether the topic is suitable for the journal. If not, the manuscript is returned quickly to the authors, typically within two weeks or less.

If the topic is deemed suitable, both Editors read the article carefully and jointly decide which Editor or Associate Editor will take the lead in handling the article. Reviewers typically include at least one member of the Editorial Board, but care is taken to choose reviewers well qualified to evaluate the manuscript. Reviewers are asked to respond within 4-6 weeks. Once reviews are received, the Editor designated to handle the paper makes a decision and assembles and sends a report to the author. The report may also include comments and instructions from the editor.

JSMS publishes contributions relevant to all aspects of system and management sciences, including original research, perspectives, applications, tutorials, and teaching-related articles (see our statement of objectives). The criteria applied to each type of submissions are matched to the objectives of the contribution.

For example, research papers are judged on originality, potential impact on operation management theory and practice, and interest to the operation management audience. In contrast, manuscripts describing applications are judged on technical correctness and clarity of presentation; novelty of methods for the specific application is also considered.

For tutorials and teaching-related manuscripts, technical correctness, novelty of teaching approach, and clarity are paramount. Perspective manuscripts, often provided by thought leaders in the field, should present insightful, thought-provoking observations that address the past, present, and future of the field of decision analysis.

Our goal is to provide a report and communicate an editorial decision to authors within 3 months of submission of a manuscript. Although this is not always feasible due to the busy schedules and competing commitments of everyone involved in the review process, as editors we are firmly committed to giving authors feedback as quickly as possible.