Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated October 14, 2020
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See also “Publishing in a Research Policy special issue,” June 24, 2020 and "Latest Conference Research on Innovation Ecosystems” July 3, 2020.
Submission Process
Submission Process
Are only conference papers eligible for the Special Issue? Do they gain any advantage?
No, any paper that follows RP author guidelines and conforms to the Call for Papers can be submitted. The advantage to the authors is in the improvement of the papers, but all papers begin the journal process at the same starting point.
How long should the paper be?
The RP guidelines say that “full-length papers” are 8,000-10,000 words. That is the length of the body of the paper, excluding references, figures, tables, and (if any) the appendix.
To whom do we email our paper?
To be considered for the special issue, all papers must be submitted via ESS ( Elsevier Editorial System) on or before the deadline: October 15 at 11:59pm (PDT).
Are there any extensions available to the October 15 deadline?
No. We have a very tight schedule for reviewers to return reviews prior to the distraction of Academy of Management in January.
How do we designate our paper for the Special Issue?
Within EES, there is a menu “Choose Article Type”. The submitting authors will select “SI: Innovation Ecosystems”. Please designate Ammon Salter (SI designated editor) as the handling editor.
What is the earliest we can submit to the Special Issue?
The menu appeared on EES submission system in September. However, papers will not be sent out for review until after the submission deadline, when the editors have screened all submissions.
Cover Letter
Cover Letter
Are we required to disclose prior publication (or work in progress) from the same data?
Yes, consistent with the RP author guidelines.
Can we nominate reviewers, or specify reviewers with whom we have a conflict?
Yes, it is strongly encouraged that you propose and/or disqualify reviewers consistent with the RP author guidelines.
Can we nominate a guest editor?
Such a nomination will not be used in the process of balancing the workload between the four guest editors.
Can we use the cover letter to sell the brilliance of our research and improve our odds of acceptance.
The initial evaluation and (if sent for review) reviews of the manuscript will be based solely on the abstract and content of the manuscript.
Scope of the Special Issue
Scope of the Special Issue
Who is the audience for the Special Issue on “Innovation Ecosystems and Ecosystem Innovation”?
As with any paper in Research Policy, papers should be written both for those actively researching on this topic, as well as the broader audience of innovation studies researchers.
Will you consider literature reviews, theoretical models or other conceptual papers?
The primary goal of the special issue is to gain new insights on ecosystems from a range of quantitative and qualitative perspectives. As with any special issue, the editors’ introductory article will provide both a conceptual overview and introduction to the specific articles published. The issue may possibly include one or two conceptual papers, but we do not at this time see a need for another literature review.
Will papers be considered about other types of ecosystems beyond “innovation ecosystems”?
The Special Issue is being edited by four innovation scholars with varying perspective on the ecosystem phenomenon. We are seeking research that contributes to our understanding of ecosystems as previously defined by one or more of papers mentioned in the CFP. Although these definitions of an ecosystem differ, these definitions might be paraphrased as “a group of autonomous agents – whether organizations or individuals — who can deliver the complementary aspects of a value proposition.” Beyond that on innovation ecosystems, considerable prior research on “platforms”, “business ecosystems” and “knowledge ecosystems” adopts a perspective consistent with such definitions.
The research on entrepreneurial or regional ecosystems often examines a phenomenon that is distinct from the scope of the Special Issue. Some of this research focuses on the complementary joint value production, such as when a regional ecosystem contributes to a global innovation ecosystem with such an outcome. However, other studies primarily focus on measures of economic development (growth, employment, labor skills etc.) rather than complementary value production. The former studies are potentially within the scope of the Special Issue, while the latter are not.
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