Call for Nominations for MISQ Editor-in-Chief

The role of the editor-in-chief is to enhance the scholarly reputation of MIS Quarterly by setting the editorial vision that reflects the focus and international reach of the journal.  

General responsibilities of the editor-in-chief include, but are not limited to: 

• Manage the editorial process, including all aspects of the editorial board and peer review process to ensure that all articles accepted for publication have undergone a rigorous, objective, and timely peer-review process.
• Provide leadership in continuing the journal’s initiatives to develop authors, reviewers, and editors that will enhance the impact and visibility of work.
• Ensure the editorial board reflects the research areas and methodologies covered by the journal, as well as the diversity of the field.
• Serve as a steward of the journal by promoting its research, developing future authors, networking to encourage readership, and/or ensuring professors in the field are working with university librarians to subscribe to the journal.
• Work closely with the MISQ Policy Committee and MISQ Publication Office, especially regarding journal strategy, policies, and performance.
• Communicate clearly, effectively, promptly, and courteously with authors, reviewers, editors, and journal staff.
• Cooperate with journal staff to ensure timely publication of journal issues, effective marketing initiatives, and efficient workflows throughout the production process.
• Serve as the international ambassador for the journal by being responsible for carrying out liaison and leadership work with the global constituency of the journal, which will require the editor-in-chief to travel domestically and internationally in this role.
• Maintain a strong working relationship with the MISQ Publication Office at the University of Minnesota.

The successful candidate is likely to possess and be able to demonstrate evidence of the following qualities:

• Senior editorial experience at one of the leading journals in the IS field.
• Awareness of the state-of-the-art in IS research across the breadth of the field.
• Commitment to nurturing new ideas and championing an agenda for research that embraces the full scope of scholarship in the field.
• Evidence of significant scholarship and research contributions to the field.
• Proven track record of: excelling in working with editors, reviewers, and authors; being a strong communicator; pursuing decisions in a consultative manner; balancing detailed and high-level issues in their work; and experience with management and administrative work.
• Commitment to sustain a heavy service workload for years (approximately 30-40 hours per week). 

Nominations for the next MISQ EIC should include a letter of support from the nominator and a current CV of the nominee to the MISQ EIC Selection Committee at: misqsearch@gmail.com. A nominator should determine in advance of forwarding a nomination that a candidate is willing to be considered, and explicitly note this in their letter. Self-nominations are discouraged.

After the initial screening, candidates will be asked to submit the following information for their application:

• A cover letter outlining your reasons for your interest in this role [300-word limit]
• A current CV
• Vision for MIS Quarterly [1000-word limit]
• A statement of support offered by your institution for this Editorship role. Given the extensive time  commitment that is required from the MISQ editor-in-chief, this statement should indicate any specific support that the candidate’s Dean’s Office is willing to provide to them in this work. This could include but is not limited to: course teaching releases; summer salary; and/or a budget for staff. 

Applications can be submitted electronically to misqsearch@gmail.com. The current editor-in-chief is available to discuss any queries from potential applicants. 

Members of the search committee are Gautam Ray (University of Minnesota), Chee-Wee Tan (Copenhagen  Business School and Vice President of Publications liaison from the Association of Information Systems),  Jason Bennet Thatcher (Temple University and at-large representative liaison from the Association of Information Systems), and Alok Gupta (MISQ Publisher). 

The MISQ is part of the University of Minnesota and follows their equal opportunity and affirmative action  policies. The University of Minnesota shall provide equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, familial status, disability, public assistance status, membership or activity in a local commission created for the purpose of dealing with discrimination, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

The first phase is the nomination phase for potential candidates. The nomination phase will conclude on April  28, 2023, and invitations will be extended several days later to the most promising candidates. The second phase will involve the evaluation of candidates by the MISQ EIC Selection Committee, based on the submitted information. During this phase, the Committee will screen the nominees, conduct interviews, consult with senior research leaders in the field to determine the appropriateness of the candidates, and make a final decision, resulting in an invitation for a new EIC. The expected completion date for this phase is June 2, 2023, with finalist interviews to occur during the beginning of June 2023.  

The overall goal is for a new candidate to begin “shadowing” the current editor-in-chief in August 2023, so that the incoming editor-in-chief has the time to establish an understanding of the journal’s operations, activities, and the people involved.