Wageningen Academic Publishers

Journal on Chain and Network Science - General information

The ‘Journal on Chain and Network Science’ is issued two times a year. Each issue contains approximately 80 pages. The journal is published by Wageningen Academic Publishers in co-operation with Department of Management Studies of Wageningen University and Research Centre.
Editor-in-chief: S.W.F. Omta

ISSN 1569-1829 (paper edition)
ISSN 1875-0931 (online edition)
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Aims and Scope
Editorial Statement

Aims and scope

The ‘Journal on Chain and Network Science’ is a peer-reviewed scientific research journal, which aims to promote theory and practice in the field of innovation in business chains and networks. The journal takes a multidisciplinary approach, covering engineering, science and management disciplines. Articles are based on empirical research, well-considered observation of inter-organisational management experience, and conceptual and theoretical developments in the field of innovative chain and network science. The journal covers not only collaborative engineering and virtual organisation, but the entire spectrum of managerial concerns in business networks. This includes issues relating to inter-organisational human resource management, project management, technological fusion, marketing, forecasting and strategic planning. The journal is intended to serve the needs of academics and management scientists, practising managers, students, research personnel and consultants.

Contributions may be made in any of the following categories:

Theory. This category is for papers in specialised fields, which report research results and new theoretical developments.
Applications. Papers in this category describe interesting applications of management techniques in the field of innovative chain and network science.
Memoranda. This section is devoted to short contributions, preliminary communications for new ideas and propositions; technical notes on state of the art innovations; brief descriptions of internal research reports or theses/dissertations; extension or critique of widely accepted concepts; and brief accounts of applications and implementation. The intention is to publish such memoranda with as little delay as possible.

Contributions in the fields of theory and applications should pay thorough attention to research methodology and theoretical implications of the research.

Editorial statement

In the past, supply chain management was primarily associated with assembly lines, warehouses, truckers and time sheets. And in fact, such a vision comes pretty close to describing much of today's business: bricks and mortar still matter. Even so, the traditional vision represents only one dimension of a business environment that is growing increasingly multidimensional. This multi-dimensionality makes innovation in chain and network relationships not only possible, but imperative. Getting a product made, sold and delivered today requires collaboration among members of a supply chain to manage sensitive strategic planning, the flow of information and the compatible design of the underlying ICT. The partners must also work together to cope with the political challenges posed by shifting roles and responsibilities.

The ‘Journal on Chain and Network Science’ focuses on the development and validation of strategies, methods and techniques for the improvement of the efficacy and efficiency of innovation in business networks, i.e. the physical products or services; the chain and network structure; the facilities, process type, lay-out and information and communication structure; and the organisation, resources and skills that are needed. The journal aims to bring together researchers from various disciplines, including management and organisation, economics, logistics, and technology, with a common focus on systems innovation. Important concepts are chain and network organisation, optimisation, and performance, partnership management, network dynamics and the issue of trust in network relationships, quality issues and tracking and tracing and environmental load.

Journal on Chain and Network Science is Scopus indexed