July 25, 2007, Langenfeld, Germany – The Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research (KLI) based in Altenberg near Vienna is a new user of the online based Editorial Manager manuscript submission and management system from vendor Aries Systems Corporation. All submission and management processes for the journal Biological Theory – Integrating Development, Evolution, and Cognition jointly published by KLI and MIT Press will shortly be performed via the new system that is currently installed. Aries according to statements won the deal against other vendors because of the best price-performance ratio of its solution as well as the flexible adaptability of the management workflows to the specific requirements of the journal. The contract has been signed in May.

KLI founded in 1990 is an international center for research in the field of theoretical biology. The instute is located at the former family seat of Konrad Lorenz whose work provided the foundation for an evolutionary view of mind and cognition. The rather new Biological Theory journal that in 2007 appears in the second volume, mainly addresses topics on theoretical advancements in the fields of development, evolution, and cognition.

Editorial Manager substitutes a former Email based approach that had reached the limits of its performance according to Dr. Astrid Juette, Executive Manager at KLI and, therefore, was meant to be replaced with a solution that met the existing requirements. When looking for a replacement system the institute was keen on purchasing a leading product because it expected a lower inhibition threshold for submitting authors from such a solution. “Authors publishing much may know Editorial Manager from former submissions and thus may find it a lot easier to submit to our journal,” Dr. Juette reasons.

The same, according to Dr. Juette, also holds true for reviewers who voluntarily and graciously provide their activities and whom the journal wants to support in the best possible way. For KLI, it was beyond all question that they wanted to have a modern online-based peer review system such as Editorial Manager. “Authors and also increasingly reviewers nowadays require such submission systems from publishers and editorial offices,” she says.

In addition, KLI expects benefits for everyday editorial business from the system’s usability independently of time and place via Internet browser providing for future optimal integration of authors, reviewers, editors, copy editors, or layouters into the journal production. Apart from these advantages, Dr. Juette expects additional organizational improvements through a compact and self-contained system where all actions and contents relevant for journal creation can be accessed and controlled by pressing a button and she also considers this functionality a good back-up system for all kinds of needs. “Author comments are just one example. In the past, they either were sent to the office or they went to the editor-in-chief and so on which can turn out to be rather chaotic. This is now all in the system and can be easily accessed and tracked.”

Editorial Manager finally won the deal against another market leading competitor’s product amongst others because of its perfectly fitting functionality for the institute’s requirements. “Editorial Manager is a well conceived system displaying a knowhow gained during its long time use in quite a number of publishing houses. Thus, we found ourselves represented perfectly well in the system with our home grown ideas, workflows, and requirements and the possibilities it offers,” says Dr. Juette.

About Aries
Aries Systems transforms the way scholarly publishers bring high-value content to the world. The company’s innovative and forward-looking workflow solutions manage the complexities of modern print and electronic publishing – from submission, to editorial management and peer review, to production tracking and publishing channel distribution. As the publishing environment evolves, Aries Systems is committed to delivering solutions that help publishers and scholars enhance the discovery and dissemination of human knowledge. Publish faster, publish smarter, with Aries Systems.