incorporating INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS

The Journal of Strategic Information Systems welcomes original papers from both academics and practitioners on research into the evaluation and application of Information Technology (IT) for strategic purposes. The focus of the Journal is on the management, business and organizational issues associated with the introduction and utilization of information systems as a strategic tool.

The Journal is aimed at both practitioners and academics. Publication will therefore depend as much on relevance and clarity as it will on the elegance of research design. Papers should illustrate practical experience and show the applicability of the work described. Papers of a more speculative kind will also be considered.

Research papers of around 6000 words will be expected to conform to normal publishing criteria, including contribution to the body of knowledge and proper reference to key articles in the author's chosen topic area. Above all, though, JSIS is looking to publish articles which will improve practice and hence relevance and topicality will be of prime importance.

REFEREEING

All contributions are reviewed by two or more referees on the 'double blind' system, whereby the names of contributors and referees are not revealed to each other. Acceptance is dependent on contributions meeting the high standards demanded by the journal, and it is usually the case that revisions will be required before publication can proceed. On receipt by the publisher, the resulting final drafts are subject to editorial amendment to suit house style.

COPYRIGHT

The submission of a paper will imply that, if accepted for publication, it will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in any language, without the consent of the Publisher. Before publication, authors are requested to assign Copyright to Elsevier B.V. to sanction reprints and photocopies and to authorize the reprinting of complete issues or volumes according to demand. Author's traditional rights will not be jeopardized by assigning Copyright in this manner, as they will retain the right to reuse and veto third-party publications.

It is the author's responsibility to obtain written permission to quote material that has appeared in another journal. All submissions should be accompanied by a written declaration that the paper has not been submitted for consideration elsewhere.

PREPARATION OF SCRIPTS

You should write in clear and concise English. Spelling should follow the Oxford English Dictionary. Authors whose native tongue is not English are assured that in-house editorial attention to their contributions will improve clarity and acceptability to readers. You should have your contribution typed in double–line spacing, on one side only of A4 paper. Do not underline anything. Leave wide margins. Number every sheet. Four copies of the manuscript are required and these should be sent to the Editor-in-Chief for European Middle Eastern and African submissions, or the appropriate Editor. For complete up-to-date addresses of Editors please check the link to Editorial board at the beginning of these instructions.

Alternatively, authors may send an electronic version of their article to the editors by e-mail. This electronic version will be used for the reviewing process. Authors, Reviewers and Editors send and receive all correspondence by e-mail and no paper correspondence is necessary.

Note: electronic articles submitted for the review process may need to be edited after acceptance to follow journal standards. For this an "editable" file format is necessary.

Language Polishing: Authors who require information about language editing and copyediting services pre- and post submission please visit www.elsevier.com/locate/languagepolishing for more information.
Please note Elsevier neither endorses nor takes responsibility for any products, goods or services offered by outside vendors through our services or in any advertising. For more information please refer to our terms and conditions ( http://www.elsevier.com/termsandconditions).

Arrangement of Papers

You should arrange your contribution in the following order:

1. Title, authors, affiliation, postal address and e–mail address (Internet format)

2. 50–100 word abstract outlining the purpose, scope and conclusions of the paper, and keywords

3. The text, suitably divided under headings

4. Acknowledgements (if any)

5. References

6. Tables (each on a separate sheet)

7. Captions to illustrations (grouped on a separate sheet or sheets)

8. Illustrations, each on a separate sheet containing no text.

TEXT

Subdivide your paper in the simplest way possible, consistent with clarity. Avoid numbering sections. Trade names should have an initial capital letter.

TABLES

Number of tables consecutively throughout the paper (with Arabic numerals) referring to them in the text as Table 1, Table 2, etc. with a caption at the top of each table. Avoid the use of vertical rules. Tables should not duplicate results presented in graphs.

ILLUSTRATIONS

All illustrations should be identified with the author's name and figure number marked in pencil.

Line illustrations

Articles may be published more quickly if illustrations are supplied to the required standards, but authors should not be deterred if they are unable to meet these standards as illustrations can be redrawn in–house. The originals must be supplied on separate sheets, with two photocopies.

Illustrations will be photographically reduced in size, and this should be borne in mind to ensure that lines and lettering remain clear and do not break up on reduction. If you label the original illustrations, do so in black ink, using a suitable stencil. Lowercase letters should be used throughout, with an initial capital letter for the first word only. If suitable stencils are unavoidable, label a photocopy, not the original illustrations, and our studio will complete the work to the correct standard. If your illustrations are computer–generated, follow the lettering standards as above and supply the blackest possible laser printout.

Graphs

The minimum amount of descriptive text should be used on graphs and drawings (label curves, points etc. with single–letter symbols) and descriptive matter should be placed in the figure caption. Scale grids should not be used in graphs, unless required for actual measurements. Graph axes should be labelled with the variables written out in full, along the length of the axes, with the unit in parenthesis (for example, Time(s). A table is usually more satisfactory for recording data.

Photographs

Supply glossy/black and white unmounted prints or 35 mm transparencies, plus two photocopies. A scale, where appropriate, should be marked on the photographs or include in the caption.

COLOUR ILLUSTRATIONS

Submit colour illustrations as original photographs, high-quality computer prints or transparencies, close to the size expected in publication, or as 35mm slides. Polaroid colour prints are not suitable. If, together with your accepted article, you submit usable colour figures then Elsevier will ensure, at no additional charge, that these figures will appear in colour on the web (e.g., ScienceDirect and other sites) regardless of whether or not these illustrations are reproduced in colour in the printed version. For colour reproduction in print, you will receive information regarding the costs from Elsevier after receipt of your accepted article. For further information on the preparation of electronic artwork, please see http://www.elsevier.com/artworkinstructions.
Please note: Because of technical complications which can arise by converting colour figures to grey scale (for the printed version should you not opt for colour in print) please submit in addition usable black and white prints corresponding to all the colour illustrations.

REFERENCES

Indicate references to the literature in the text by giving, in parentheses, the author's name followed by the date of the publication. References should be listed in alphabetical order at the end of the text, and take the following form:

Madden, J. C. (1977) Formulating computer/communications policy, Telecommunications Policy 1(3) 188–195.

Please ensure that references are complete, i.e. that they include, where relevant, author's name, article or book title, volume and issue number, publisher, date and page reference.

CHECK LIST

• Have you told readers, at the outset, what they might gain by reading your paper?

• Have you made the aim of your work clear?

• Have you explained the significance of your contribution?

• Have you set your work in the appropriate context by giving sufficient background (including a complete set of relevant references) to your work?

• Have you addressed the question of practicality and usefulness?

• Have you identified future developments that may result from your work?

• Have you structured your paper in a clear and logical fashion?

PROOFS

Page proofs will be sent to the corresponding author. Proofs should be corrected carefully, the responsibility for deleting errors lies with the author. Corrections should be restricted to instances in which the proof is at variance with the manuscript. No deviations from the version accepted by the Editors are permissable without the prior and explicit approval of the Editors; these alterations will be charged.

OFFPRINTS

The corresponding author, at no cost, will be provided with a PDF file of the article via e-mail or, alternatively, 50 offprints of the paper free of charge. The PDF file is a watermarked version of the published article and includes a cover sheet with the journal cover image and a disclaimer outlining the terms and conditions of use.