Guidelines for Societal Impact Article Submissions to the Journal of Supply Chain Management
The Journal of Supply Chain Management (JSCM) is proud to introduce the Societal Impact Articles category, aiming to address pressing and impactful societal issues by delving into important, emerging problems with fresh and novel perspectives.
These articles, owing to their exceptional nature, will be published selectively and infrequently. Each issue of JSCM will feature a maximum of one Societal Impact Article, ensuring they do not replace our regular submissions but are instead highlighted as a unique and vital category.
The core of these submissions lies in their purpose and content. Authors should choose topics that tackle substantial societal challenges with far-reaching supply chain management implications. A mere nod to current buzzwords or superficial summaries of the existing literature will not suffice. These articles are expected to challenge foundational assumptions in the discipline and identify existing blind spots, whether this involves the development, elaboration, or testing of theories.
In terms of length, submissions should be concise and fall within a range of 4,000 to 5,000 words, inclusive of abstract, references, and other integral components. However, brevity should not come at the expense of empirical evidence. Authors must ground their primary arguments or frameworks with empirical data, which can manifest in the form of individual case studies, statistical analyses of secondary data, interviews with relevant stakeholders, and observational data, among others. If an article does not include any empirical data, it should lay down a clear path for other researchers to utilize possible data in subsequent investigations.
A crucial aspect of these articles will be their longevity and impact. They should be crafted to transcend fleeting trends and remain relevant for at least 3 to 5 years. The goal is for each article to serve as a transformative piece that challenges and steers the discipline rather than merely recapitulating existing literature. It should address the intricate web of stakeholders, from worker and consumer communities, firms, and government entities to broader societal institutions, the environment, and the future of academia.
The review process for these submissions will be swift yet rigorous. Submissions will be reviewed under the eyes of one of our Co-Editors-in-Chief (EICs), who will assume the role of the Associate Editor (AE). Additionally, two or a maximum of three other reviewers will typically assess each article. The entire review process will encompass a maximum of two rounds before reaching a final decision. A significant criterion during these reviews will be assessing the transformative essence and theory-building potential of the manuscript.
To conclude, while it is not a strict requirement, JSCM is in favor of diverse authorship. We believe that different perspectives, in terms of regions, gender, disciplines, and more, can offer a richer and more holistic view of the societal challenges under discussion. We look forward to your impactful contributions to JSCM’s Societal Impact Articles. Manuscripts can be submitted at any time and should be submitted under the “Short Paper” category in our submission system.
The JSCM Co-Editors-in-Chief