Reducing manuscript publishing time in an open access: a study based on lean philosophy

Abstract

Scientific communication is a set of activities associated with the production, dissemination and use of information, from the moment the idea to research is conceived by the scientist until the communication of results is accepted as part of the scientific knowledge. As the main means of scientific communication, the scientific journal stands out. With the advent of the internet, the scientific journal underwent many technological transformations, making the transition from printed to electronic format. It was observed that this transition mainly changed the distribution and visibility of the editions. Regarding to the editing process, the use of publishing software, has made it easier to perform the tasks of the publisher. However, electronic platforms for managing the publication of scientific journals are used to provide  computerized support to the development of existing practices in the process of printed journals. Hence, this research deals with the proposal of a waste-free reference editorial process, which will be based on the principles of lean thinking. Lean thinking refers to a management philosophy that meets the needs of reducing the time needed to complete the editorial process. The research was characterized as a case study, since it consists of the editorial processes analysis of a journals, chosen by convenience, to the study development. The results of this study identified that, through Lean, it was possible to propose an ideal and waste-free editorial process with a considerably reduced publication time.