Emerald journals - outstanding special issues 2004

Emerald journals - outstanding special issues 2004

To recognise the very distinct contribution made by special issues to our journals and the database, Emerald makes an annual award to the Guest Editor(s) of the outstanding special issue of the year. It is a way of recognising and rewarding the very real contribution made by the Guest Editors and Editors. In 2004, info’s Special Issue on Mobile Futures – Beyond 3G has been Highly Commended in Emerald’s Outstanding Special Issue Awards.

It is no mean feat to:

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  identify a topic and its scope which have real defining importance to the readership of a journal;

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  arrange the calls for papers to attract the right authors and commission enough papers;

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  manage the peer review process and reviewers;

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  liaise with the authors;

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  edit and collate the issue; and

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  write an editorial which is often an extensive essay which draws together the component papers and provides an overview of the subject.

These are the special contributions that the Guest Editors make and which we value so highly.

In addition to these factors we also look at the collection of papers making up the issue. Are they international? Are they original and do they contain leading-edge thinking? Will the subject appeal to a fairly wide audience? Is there a consistency of approach or theme to the collection of papers, with no obvious gaps, which produces a well-rounded issue? Have some of the active and important researchers in the field written in the issue?

The selection for 2004

Out of the approximate 140 special issues published in 2004 we determined a short list of seven and out of these we have picked the winner to receive the award and the remaining six make up the list of Highly Commended Special issues. It is with pleasure that we can announce that the following issue in info has been highly commended:

info, Vol. 6 No. 6, 2004

“Mobile futures – beyond 3G”Erik Bohlin, Head of Dept and Associate Professor, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden and Jean-Claude Burgelman, IPTS, DG Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Seville, Spain.

As an example of a leading edge technical special issue this is excellent and contains some of the very latest thinking on where mobile communications are going. Lessons are learned from some of Europe’s leading exponents. There are five well-researched reports on current trends and strategic positioning. The issue is completely up to date – the literature cited dates from 2003 and 2004. The coverage moves from the current technologies into the future looking at the Japanese 2.5G mobile data services, 3G and 4G business models, European policy issues for 4G telecommunications, and, relevant EU technology research. This is a well-rounded issue of real value to regulators and managers involved in management policy and strategy development.

Simon LinacreManaging Editor