NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

• Corne Schutte Editor: SAJIE Department of Industrial Engineering, Stellenbosch University http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0119-720X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7166/31-4-2471

Abstract

Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the journal experienced again a successful year. It seems that the “working-from-home” model that a lot of authors was forced into, helped with catching up on a few articles that had been waiting for attention!

As initiated the end of 2017, it is now customary to evaluate how the journal is performing. Scopus (www.scopus.com) measures impact with a “CiteScore” and the graph in Fig 1 (extracted from Scopus on 10 December 2020 - see PDF) shows the progress made over the last few years. The CiteScore for a year is calculated as Citation Count for the year / number of documents the previous 3 years.

The Citescore for 2019 is now the highest ever at 1.4 (Measured May 2020), and the Citescore so far for 2020 is 1.2 (remember that this increases over time). Our ranking wrt the Percentile in the category, is currently stable at the high end of a Q3 journal.

Another important source for journal standing, is Scimago Journal and Country Rank (www.scimagojr.com), where the journal is also listed as a Q3 journal in the “Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering” subject area. It is very encouraging to observe how the number of citations had been growing (Fig 2 in the PDF).

This edition has a total of 16 articles, with 13 from authors with South African connections and the balance from international authors.

On a sad note, a well-known pioneer in Technology Management (Prof Rias van Wyk) passed away in early October. He was director or Technoscan, focusing on Technology Guidance for the new millennium, serving engineers, technology managers and Science and Technology policy makers. He was also an extraordinary professor at the Department of Industrial Engineering, Stellenbosch University. He studied at the University of Pretoria, Harvard and Stellenbosch, and his career included University of Free State, University of Stellenbosch, University of Cape Town and University of Minnesota. He retired in Minnesota and travelled regularly to South Africa. At the time of his passing, he had an article in review at this journal, and I thought it therefore appropriate to make this article the feature article of this final edition of 2021.

If you have suggestions on how we can take this journal forward, please let me know.

Corne Schutte

Editor