Journal profile · ENGINEERING, MANUFACTURING-OPERATIONS RESEARCH & MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal
ISSN 1936-6582 · eISSN 1936-6590 · Springer US · UNITED STATES · Quarterly · Founded 1988
Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal: CAS Zone 3 · Engineering (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.45; hybrid open access; APC about USD 2,590; median 381 days to acceptance (40 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 60 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal is published by Springer US and is in Zone 3 of Engineering in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Scheduling and Optimization Algorithms, Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics Optimization and Vehicle Routing Optimization Methods, together about 32.1% of its articles. Its main subfields are Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The mission of the Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, formerly known as the International Journal of Flexible Manufacturing Systems, is to publish original, high-quality research papers in the field of services and manufacturing management. All aspects in this field including the interface between engineering and management, the design and analysis of service and manufacturing systems as well as operational planning and decision support are covered. The journal seeks papers that have a clear focus on the applicability in the real business world including all kinds of services and manufacturing industries, e.g. in logistics, transportation, health care, manufacturing-based services, production planning and control, and supply chain management. Flexibility should be understood in its widest sense as a system’s ability to respond to changes in the environment through improved decision making and business development procedures and enabling IT solutions.The journal is interdisciplinary in nature considering work from Management Science, Industrial Engineering, Operations Research as well as other disciplines that contribute to the understanding, development and improvement of service and manufacturing systems. It is the aim of the journal to publish papers which are relevant to both researchers and practitioners in the world of services and manufacturing. Topics could include, but are not limited to areas such as the following:Operations management in process and manufacturing industriesProduction planning and controlMonitoring and control of manufacturing systemsOperations management in service organizationsOperations strategy and developmentDesign of services and manufacturing facilitiesPerformance evaluation and productivity analysis of services and manufacturing systemsSupply chain managementLogistics, transportation and warehousingIntermodal transportation and traffic systemsComputer-based planning systemsHealth care systemsModelling and simulation in services and manufacturing industriesManufacturing-based service and service-embedded manufacturingDecision making and business development procedures for services and manufacturingReviews and surveysCase studiesAll papers appearing in the Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal undergo a first editorial screening followed by a rigorous peer review by at least two anonymous referees.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): ENGINEERING, MANUFACTURING-OPERATIONS RESEARCH & MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
Editor-in-chief Andrea MattaPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 9 in mainland China (about 14%); most named United States 11, Mainland China 9, Germany 9, Italy 5, Spain 4 (63 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Scheduling and Optimization AlgorithmsEngineering11.9%
- Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics OptimizationEngineering11%
- Vehicle Routing Optimization MethodsEngineering9.2%
- Maritime Ports and LogisticsEngineering8%
- Supply Chain and Inventory ManagementBusiness, Management and Accounting6.1%
- Assembly Line Balancing OptimizationEngineering6.1%
- Healthcare Operations and Scheduling OptimizationHealth Professions4.6%
- Urban and Freight Transport LogisticsEngineering4.6%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Engineering, Industrial | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Engineering, Manufacturing | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Operations Research & Management Science | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Engineering, Industrial | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Engineering, Manufacturing | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Operations Research & Management Science | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Engineering, Industrial | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Engineering, Manufacturing | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Operations Research & Management Science | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
EI CompendexINSPECCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS, RePEc
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 3.45LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 3.5Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 3.2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 7LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 7Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.82LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.47LetPub ·
- h-index
- 40LetPub ·
- h-index
- 55OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 336OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.41OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 8.6%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 37.91%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 56LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 222,800Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 634 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 38 | 13 | 13 |
| 2025 | 60 | 26 | 120 |
| 2024 | 62 | 28 | 412 |
| 2023 | 43 | 28 | 515 |
| 2022 | 47 | 18 | 667 |
| 2021 | 34 | 12 | 469 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
381 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 272 days – 517 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 29 days (90 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 406 days
- Sample
- 40 articles with submission and acceptance dates (116 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- over 12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 26 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 2,590 / EUR 3,990 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Templates
- LaTeX and Word
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted4, with length limits
- book reviewOriginal Paper, Review Paper, Introduction, Editorial, Report, Call for paper, Book Review, Communication, Erratum, etc. Back to topLength not stated
- editorialOriginal Paper, Review Paper, Introduction, Editorial, Report, Call for paper, Book Review, Communication, Erratum, etc. Back to topmain text ≤ 250 words · abstract ≤ 250 words
- original paperOriginal Paper, Review Paper, Introduction, Editorial, Report, Call for paper, Book Review, Communication, Erratum, etc. Back to topLength not stated
- reviewOriginal Paper, Review Paper, Introduction, Editorial, Report, Call for paper, Book Review, Communication, Erratum, etc. Back to topLength not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Double-blind peer review
This journal follows a double-blind reviewing procedure. All contributions will be screened by the Managing Editor for language, completeness, and originality. Screened papers are typically assigned to an Area Editor and an Associate Editor, who selects a minimum of two independent expert reviewers to assess the scientific quality of the paper. The Editor-In-Chief is responsible for the final deci…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer US
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Quarterly
- Founded
- 1988
- ISSN
- 1936-6582
- Electronic ISSN
- 1936-6590
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 38, Issue 2 (June 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal
What CAS zone is Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal is in Zone 3 of Engineering, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Engineering, Industrial / Engineering, Manufacturing / Operations Research & Management Science. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Engineering. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.45; CiteScore 7, h-index 55.
How long does peer review take at Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal?
Based on the dates recorded on 40 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 381 days (interquartile range 272–517 days); authors report an average review time of over 12 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Author–date; Templates: LaTeX and Word; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal based?
Of the 63 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 9 (about 14%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (11), Mainland China (9) and Germany (9). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists EI Compendex, INSPEC and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal open access, and what is the APC?
Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 2,590.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .