Amplify — Calls for Papers

For more than 35 years, the monthly Amplify (formerly Cutter Business Technology Journal) has served as a forum for thought leaders in academia and industry to present innovative ideas and solutions to the critical issues facing business and technology professionals. Please consider sharing your insight with us! For questions or to submit an abstract/article proposal for any of the upcoming issues, please contact Christine Generali, Publisher, Amplify.

Editorial Guidelines    Editorial Calendar    Sample Issue

CFP


Open Calls for Papers: Accepting abstracts for consideration.

► Maximizing Business Value with Analytics

► The Future of Corporate Responsibility

► Sustainable Urban Mobility

► The Future of Space


Maximizing Business Value with Analytics

CFP

Guest Editor: Denis Dennehy
Abstract Deadline: Accepting abstracts for consideration (please send by March 15)
Article Deadline: Full articles due April 15 (upon acceptance of abstract)

The global business analytics market size reached over US $89 billion in 2023. Looking ahead, The International Market Analysis Research and Consulting Group (IMARC Group) forecasts that the market will exceed US $180 Billion by 2032.1

Business analytics is the systematic process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting critical business data using a range of advanced statistical techniques, technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data analytics, and industry-specific software applications.

In the digital business era, decision-makers, innovators, strategists, and C-level management, are increasingly seeking innovative strategies to enhance their organizational capacity for extracting business value from large, complex data sets to augment decision-making, optimize processes, elevate business performance, and facilitate digital strategizing and implementation (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Business value of data innovation,(Dennehy, 2020)

Figure 1. Business value of data innovation, (Dennehy, 20202)

 

In an upcoming issue of Amplify, Guest Editor Dr. Denis Dennehy will explore how organizations use business analytics (including AI and big data) to generate actionable insights and create business value.

As this issue seeks to foster knowledge exchange between academia and industry, we welcome submissions that go beyond mere descriptions of analytics applications and instead delve into discussions that explore the tangible business value derived from business analytics, as well as analytics as a whole.

Articles can address, but are not limited to, topics such as:

  • How does business analytics (e.g., marketing, HR, banking, cybercrime) impact digital strategy, implementation, and organizational performance?
  • How does leveraging business analytics drive digital transformation, boost organizational resilience (including supply chain), and contribute to sustainability (e.g., circular economy)?
  • How does the use of business analytics inform innovation management, project management, and operational excellence?
  • What best practices and lessons learned have emerged from the successful use of business analytics that can be applied to the adoption of emerging technologies?
  • What new digital competencies and organizational changes (e.g., culture, processes, practices) have leadership teams introduced to maximize the value of business analytics and future proof their organization?
  • What critical gaps exist in our understanding and use of analytics and how can industry/academic research collaborations address these knowledge gaps?

submit your abstract here

FOR CONSIDERATION: Please send an abstract (~300 words or less of proposed article scope and author(s) bio) to Denis Dennehy and Christine Generali. Articles should be accessible to non-specialized readers from various industries and sectors (e.g. financial services, healthcare). Technical discussions should explain the value proposition and the broader implications of analytics within the ecosystem. Abstract submissions will be evaluated upon receipt, and authors will be notified soon after of acceptance status. Final article length is typically 2,000-3,500 words plus graphics. More editorial guidelines.

1 Business Analytics Market Report, IMARC Group

2 Dennehy, D. (2020). Ireland After the Pandemic: Utilising AI to Kick-Start a Sustainable Economic Recovery. Cutter Business Technology Journal. 33(11), 22-27.


The Future of Corporate Responsibility

CFP

Guest Editor: Cynthia Clark
Abstract Deadline: Now accepting 300-word abstracts for consideration.
Article Deadline: Full articles due April 15 (upon acceptance of abstract)

According to news from the January 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos, executives and boards of directors are seeking new ways to tout corporate responsibility while omitting the term ESG to avoid alienating investors, customers, and employees.

One factor is the wave of anti-ESG legislation in the U.S. during 2023 and similar anti-ESG sentiment brewing in Europe.

ESG investing has faced challenges, too. The use of ‘ESG’ in corporate earnings calls, whose content is an indicator of company goals, is at its lowest since 2020 according to FactSet. Rolling the three ESG pillars into a single rating has allowed carbon intensive companies to log positive ESG scores, and some mutual funds and ETFs have been accused of greenwashing, using ESG in their fund names with no corresponding change in their investment holdings.

But amid these concerns, sustainability and DEI still matter to many consumers and investors, as well as to employees. GenZ and Millennials show a preference for purpose-driven companies. Many would leave their current job for one that has a more positive impact — even if it impacts their pay – according to the latest Business in Society Report by Bentley University and Gallup.

How can executives and boards navigate these cross currents? An upcoming issue of Amplify, with Guest Editor Cynthia Clark, will explore the conflicting pressures governments, shareholders, customers, and workforces are exerting on firms and their leaders in emerging corporate responsibility strategies involving environmental, social and governance issues.

Articles can address, but are not limited to, topics such as:

  • What does “corporate responsibility” look like in 2024 and how are companies balancing differing stakeholder priorities? Or the shift in corporate purpose touted by many including the World Economic Forum?
  • Are companies altering their internal and external messaging in the face of a corporate responsibility or ESG backlash? Which firms stand out as examples of successful positioning or responsible management? Which provide case studies of what not to do – or of corporate irresponsibility?
  • How are company boards reacting to the culture wars that have led to the term “woke capitalism?” What role can governance or board composition play in helping a firm chart a course that avoids backlash from constituencies on both sides of the issue?
  • What are the notable differences in how governments in different nations are reacting to pushback on issues of sustainability and DEI? Is the anti-ESG legislative effort in the US unique? How are global brands responding?
  • What improvements, if any, does the “Stakeholder Metrics Initiative,” now adopted by >150 companies, offer over ESG tracking of the past? What other new frameworks have emerged to help investors, consumers, and employees track company performance, and to aid companies in measuring their environmental and social impacts?
  • What is the latest data highlighting workforce and consumer preferences for responsible companies? Is there a generational divide? If yes, what approaches are companies adopting to straddle the diverse leanings of their different market segments?
  • Large asset managers have been notable targets of ESG backlash. What is the outlook for ESG investing in 2024 and how is that impacting board decision making? What are the legal aspects of this backlash and of corporate responsibility in general?

submit your abstract here

FOR CONSIDERATION: Please send an abstract (~300 words or less of proposed article scope and author(s) bio) to Cynthia Clark and Christine Generali. Abstract submissions will be evaluated upon receipt, and authors will be notified soon after of acceptance status. Final article length is typically 2,000-3,500 words plus graphics. More editorial guidelines.


Sustainable Urban Mobility

CFP

Guest Editor: Ani Melkonyan-Gottschalk
Abstract Deadline: Now accepting 300-word abstracts for consideration.
Article Deadline: Full articles due March 9 (upon acceptance of abstract)

With the transportation sector contributing around 24% of energy-related emissions, urgent global action is needed for a more sustainable and resilient mobility system. This transformation is crucial to meet global decarbonization objectives, increase infrastructure accessibility justly, boost local economies, and shift from a carbon-based to a fossil-free society.

In the last decade, the mobility systems have significantly changed, especially in urban areas, due to the emerging socio-economic, environmental, technological, and political trends. These disruptions affect traditional transport systems including collective public transportation and individual mobility solutions.

The surge of innovative technologies and the rise of new actors entering the sector provide new opportunities for developing and implementing novel and seamless mobility services. Advanced digital technologies enable emergence of new and shared mobility services, such as vehicle/bike/ride-sharing, sequential/concurrent sharing, on-demand transport solutions, micro-mobility services, employee buses, taxi apps (E-Hail), aggregator apps, parking/navigation apps, mobile payment for transportation services and the integrative scheme of Mobiliity-as-a-Service (MaaS). These solutions need to adeptly address the diverse mobility needs of complex and dynamic societies in various urban and rural areas, each with unique infrastructures, typologies, and socio-economic structures. By facilitating the adoption of a seamless, door-to-door, multimodal, and reliable mobility network, these innovative solutions have the potential to transform the system into a more widely accepted, sustainable, resilient, and integrated model.

In an upcoming issue of Amplify, Guest Editor Prof. Dr. Ani Melkonyan-Gottschalk, will explore various sustainable urban mobility governance models that simultaneously address traffic-related pollution reduction, social equity in mobility access, healthy market competition among the service providers, and the convenient use of multi-modal transportation enabled by global-scale digital technologies, as well as examine best case practices at the local level.

Article ideas may include, but are not limited, to the following topics:

  • How can an inclusive urban policy be designed to transform urban mobility systems, enabling co-development of urban mobility strategies in metropolitan areas?
  • What are the levers for policymakers to accelerate complex and multi-level transformation of urban mobility? How can stakeholders be integrated?
  • What are the disruptive technologies for urban mobility transitions? How can they be successfully implemented and adopted, considering various urban contexts (typology, climate, political regulations, societal structures)?
  • What kind of business concepts and models/frameworks exist within innovative sustainable mobility solutions? Who are the stakeholders, which countries are the pioneers and why, what are the investments, costs, and benefits? How can innovation be validated in urban mobility?
  • What kind of scenarios and strategies might exist for the future of urban mobility? What do future urban areas look like, how do people move, live and work, what are the narratives for sustainability?
  • What is the future of the automotive industry?
  • What is the future of public transportation?
  • What kind of decision-making and regulations are necessary for successful mobility transition?
  • How do regulations effect the future mobility patterns by individuals and industry? How can these effects be measured?
  • What criteria define sustainability in urban mobility, and how can these criteria be effectively measured?
  • How can the transportation sector integrate with other sectors? What are the disruptive innovations bridging intersectoral gaps?

submit your abstract here

FOR CONSIDERATION: Please send an abstract (~300 words or less of proposed article scope and author(s) bio) to Ani Melkonyan-Gottschalk and Christine Generali. Abstract submissions will be evaluated upon receipt, and authors will be notified soon after of acceptance status. Final article length is typically 2,000-3,500 words plus graphics. More editorial guidelines.


The Future of Space

CFP biodiversity and business

Guest Editors: Matteo Ainardi and Guillaume Storck
Abstract Deadline Extended: OPEN
Article Deadline Extended: February 29, 2024
 

The space sector is experiencing rapid expansion, fueled by its ever-increasing significance in supporting activities on Earth and driven by humanity's willingness to continually push the boundaries of knowledge.

This surge of innovation is profoundly reshaping the landscape, prompting governmental and private organizations worldwide to reevaluate their ambitions, strategies, and engagements within the space sector. The future, however, remains uncertain. On one hand, the exciting potential breakthroughs in mega-constellations, space-based solar power, and in-space resources utilization hold the promise of significantly elevating the industry's value. On the other hand, geopolitical tensions and the non-responsible exploitation of resources both on Earth and in space have the potential to undermine the long-term sustainability and value of the industry.

An upcoming issue of Amplify with Guest Editors Matteo Ainardi and Guillaume Storck, invites articles exploring key challenges, the transformation of the space sector, and the potential evolutionary scenarios that lie ahead.

Article ideas may include, but are not limited, to the following topics:

  • What is the latest thinking surrounding the utilization of space technologies and infrastructures to bolster and enrich human activities?
  • What are the benefits, challenges, and obstacles associated with the introduction and adoption of these space technologies and infrastructures?
  • How are governmental space agencies undergoing strategic redefinition and transforming their methods of operation?
  • What are the emerging ecosystems and value chains in the space sector?
  • What pivotal enabling technologies (spanning optics, quantum physics, materials, propulsion, computing, and more) are poised to drive transformative change within the space ecosystem?
  • What innovative breakthroughs will have a profound impact on the industry?
  • What transformative evolution can we expect in space technologies and infrastructures once super-heavy lift reusable launchers like Starship become operational?
  • What types of thinking, strategies and initiatives are shaping the future of human and robotic space exploration?
  • What types of collaborative models are emerging among countries and between governmental and private entities in the context of space exploration?
  • What ecosystems will emerge as related to lunar exploration and activities?
  • How are pioneering space entrepreneurs successfully navigating the transition of their companies from mere start-ups or innovation projects to economically viable and commercially competitive solutions?
  • To what extent are various space players integrating sustainability principles into their operations and decision-making processes?
  • What is the present state of the art in the field? What are the foremost best practices, and what critical gaps demand attention and resolution?

submit your abstract here

FOR CONSIDERATION: Please send an abstract (~300 words or less of proposed article scope and author(s) bio) to Matteo Ainardi, Guillaume Storck, and Christine Generali. Articles should be accessible to non-specialized readers from the space industry and its adjacencies (investors, customers, etc.) Technical discussions should explain the value proposition and the broader implications of these technologies within the ecosystem. Final article length is typically 2,000-3,500 words plus graphics. More editorial guidelines.

 


Editorial Guidelines

These notes are intended to give authors some guidance and direction for articles submitted to Amplify for publication. Additional Amplify editorial guidelines can be found here.

Editorial: Amplify is professionally edited by our team who evaluates articles for content, substance, grammar, and style and provides valuable feedback so that authors can revise and improve their papers before publication. Publishing turnaround times are short. Articles are also peer-reviewed by the Guest Editor who is an expert in the field.

Audience: Publishing with Cutter affords the opportunity to present your insights and research to a global audience of corporate executives, top academics, and leaders in the public and NGO/IGO sectors that is highly interested in emerging developments across the spectrum of business and technology. Typical readers of Amplify range from CxOs and other business leaders to technology executives, program leaders, product managers, engineering managers and development executives, along with professors from universities worldwide. Most work in fairly large organizations: Fortune 500 organizations, universities, NGOs/IGOs, and government agencies. Industries span: finance and banking, education, energy, entertainment, food, healthcare, insurance, travel/transportation and manufacturing.

Length: The recommended article length is 2,000-3,500 words, not including graphics. Please do your best to keep your article to this recommended length.

Article Format: Please send your article in word document format for editing purposes. Please do not send it as a PDF.

Editorial advice: Introductory-level, tutorial coverage of a topic is not very popular with our readership as they are senior-level people. Delete the introductory "fluff" and get to the meat of the topic. Assume you're writing for someone who has been in the industry for 10 to 20 years, is very busy, and very impatient. Assume he or she is mentally asking, while reading your article, "What's the point? What do I do with this information?" Apply the "so what?" test to everything you write.

General comments: We enjoy controversy and strong opinion; we like the fact that we can provide an alternative to standard "refereed" journals that sanitize articles. Because we don't carry any advertising, we can publish critical or negative comments about specific vendors or products. However, we obviously don't want to publish anything libelous or slanderous. Conversely, we don't publish self-serving commercial messages praising one's own product or service.

Style, grammar, and mechanics: For advice on good writing style, we recommend Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, The Chicago Manual of Style, and The Elements of Style (Strunk and White). We are fanatics about the editorial quality of Amplify; anything you can do to help us in this regard will be greatly appreciated.

Graphics: Please keep your use of graphics to a maximum of 4 and submit original, editable files (not static images). Preferably, create your graphics in MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and submit them as a separate editable Office file. If this is not possible, send files as high-res PNG, JPEG, PDF, or Adobe Illustrator CC/EPS. All images owned by another party may only be used with owner's permission. It is the author's responsibility to obtain permission. Copying images off the Internet without permission infringes on copyright and is unacceptable for publication.

All graphics (figures and tables) must include captions and a reference within the text; for example: “(see Figure 1)” or “Figure 1 illustrates….” Please note that we may remove graphics deemed unnecessary. Please be minimalistic in your design: limit colors, shadings, and typefaces. For additional questions, please contact Linda Dias (dias.linda@adlittle.com).

Deadlines: Timely submission is crucial to meet our publishing deadline. If you anticipate delays, please inform us promptly so we can make necessary adjustments. Late submissions may not be included in the issue.

Editorial process: Once we get your article, we commence two parallel editorial passes: one for content (by the guest editor) and one for substance, grammar, and style (by a Cutter editor). Either or both of these initial editorial reviews may result in some questions or feedback from us. Most likely, we will send you a first draft "page proof" of your article for your review and approval.

Articles published in the journal must meet certain criteria relating to audience, technical content, and presentation. In the unlikely occurrence that, upon editorial review, your completed article does not meet with these requirements, Cutter Consortium reserves the right to decline the publishing of your article in the journal. Upon final acceptance, the article moves to additional copyediting and proofing stages, including layout. You will receive a PDF in layout form for final approval. We ask that this review take no more than 2-3 days.

Biographical sketch: At the end of each Amplify article, we like to include a brief (200 words or less) biographical sketch of each author along with email address of author(s). Click here for a sample. We also like to provide a color headshot. Please include a high-res color headshot (at least 300x300 pixels) of each author. We accept formal or casual photos that present authors in a professional manner. For samples, see our "Meet the Cutter Experts" section.

Copyrights: When you submit an article to us, you transfer copyright to Arthur D. Little and you warrant that you (or your employer) are the sole owner of the article, that it has not been previously published elsewhere, and that you have full power and authority to grant copyright to Arthur D. Little. You also warrant that it does not infringe on any copyright, violate any property rights, or contain scandalous, libelous, or unlawful matter.

Sourcing Content: Please limit to 20 if possible, prioritizing original thought. When you do draw on the work of other authors and researchers, cite your sources accordingly in the relevant part of the text (using endnote numbers or hyperlinks). Given that Cutter Consortium has no relationships with vendors, we cannot permit the use of references, quotes, statistics, and figures from analyst/research firms with vendor ties (Gartner, MetaGroup, Yankee Group, Forrester, IDC, McKinsey, among others), as the data may be biased. If you feel information from one of these sources is critical to your article, please bring it to our attention early in the editorial process and we will be happy to discuss the issue. Note that Cutter Consortium conducts studies and surveys occasionally in its various practice areas. This data is available for use in your articles or reports. If there is specific data you are looking for to support an argument, please contact us for more information. We will be happy to send you any relevant data. Keep in mind that if your article uses too many sources, it is often an indicator that your piece summarizes research too heavily and lacks original thought. Remember our readers are interested in your insights; above all, speak in an expert voice.

Promotion: Once the issue is published, we will provide you with a PDF of your individual article to share with your colleagues or to post on your website, social networks, academic research bases, etc. We will also provide you with a link to the entire issue to share with your contacts, post on your website, blog, social networks, etc. We ask that once the issue is published, that you do not post the entire issue PDF on any websites or social media sites unless given express permission.

Author Compensation: We are pleased to offer Amplify authors a complimentary online subscription to Amplify upon signing Cutter's license agreement. In addition, we occasionally pull excerpts, along with the author's bio, to include in weekly email Advisors to clients and in our bi-monthly Amplify Spotlight email newsletter, which reaches another 8,000 readers, and we publish excerpts on the Cutter LinkedIn and X feeds. If you plan to be speaking at industry conferences, we can arrange to make electronic copies of the issue in which you're published available for attendees of those speaking engagements — furthering your own promotional efforts.

Endnotes/References: When you draw on the work of other authors and researchers, please cite your sources. All sources/side commentary must be noted in relevant part of text (using endnote numbers) and listed in sequential order (i.e., order of appearance, not alphabetical order) at end of article in "References." All sources should include basic publishing information (i.e., author(s) name(s), complete title, publisher, date, and hyperlink and/or URL). Sources can be repeated but must be listed as a new endnote. The following are examples of various types of endnotes:

1DeMarco, Tom, and Timothy Lister. Waltzing with Bears: Managing Risk on Software Projects. Dorset House, 2003.

2In this survey, “innovation” refers to any new initiatives to introduce innovative, leading-edge, or unconventional software project development methods, processes, tools, or techniques.

3Hall, Curt. “AI & Machine Learning in the Enterprise, Part XI: Success of AI Application Development Efforts.” Cutter Consortium Data Analytics & Digital Technologies, Executive Update, Vol. 19, No. 3, 2019.

4DeMarco and Lister (see 1).

5"About the Sustainability Practice." Cutter Consortium, accessed January 2021 .

 

Editorial Calendar 2024

Publishing Month Topic Guest Editor
January Character Leadership Part II Dusya Vera and Ana Ruiz Pardo
February The Future of Space Matteo Ainardi and Guillaume Storck
March Sustainable Urban Mobility Ani Melklonyan-Gottschalk
April The Future of Corporate Responsibility Cynthia Clark
May Maximizing Business Value with Analytics Denis Dennehy
June/July Climate Change and Agriculture Athula Ginige
Aug/Sept Scaffolding Leadership Oana Branzei
October Healthcare Ulrica Sehlstedt

Editorial Calendar 2023

Publishing Month Topic Guest Editor
January Disruption in Banking & Financial Services Philippe De Backer
February Advancing Workplace Equity Viola Maxwell-Thompson
March  Connecting Business Strategy to Biodiversity Conservation Judith Walls, Kerrigan Unter, and Leo Vogel
April Digital Twins in Practice Ron Zahavi 
May Ensuring Resilience in the Airline Industry Sabine Reim & Jim Miller
June Navigating Geopolitical Risks David S. Lee
July ESG Reporting Trends Ethan Rouen
August Generative AI: A Conversation with the Future Michael Eiden
September Blockchain Technologies and Environmental Sustainability Horst Treiblmaier
October Financing Sustainable Circular Investments Joe Sarkis and Paul DeWick
November The Journey to Decarbonization Michael Kruse, Oliver Golly, Luis del Barrio, Florence Carlot
December Character Leadership as a Competitive Advantage Duysa Vera and Ana Ruiz Pardo

Editorial Calendar 2022

Publishing Month Topic Guest Editor
January 2022 Cyber Resilience & Countermeasures Dr. Anjali Kaushik
February 2022 Reimagining Leadership & Teams Tim Lister
March 2022 Data's Critical Role in Healthcare & Life Sciences Ben van der Schaaf
April/May 2022 Defining Systems Change in Sustainable Business Parts I and II Dr. Andrew Hoffman and Dr. Nicholas Poggioli
June 2022 Leadership Skills for the Post-Pandemic Era Jon Ward
July 2022 Connecting the Dots with Knowledge Graphs Michael Eiden
August 2022 Trends in the Automotive & Mobility Industries Klaus Schmitz
September 2022 High Risk, High Stakes Decision Making in Turbulent Times Michael Roberto
October 2022 DAOs and Token-Driven Organizations: Promises vs. Reality Michel Avital and Nina-Birte Schirrmacher
November 2022 The Role of the Enterprise in a Nature Positive World, Part I Margaret O'Gorman
December 2022 The Role of the Enterprise in a Nature Positive World, Part II Margaret O'Gorman