FEATURE ARTICLES

 

Trends in a South African industrial engineering research journal: A textual information analysis perspective

 

 

J.W. Uys^I; C.S.L. Schutte^II; D. Esterhuizen^III

^IDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Stellenbosch University, South Africa, wilhelm@indutech.co.za
^IIDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Stellenbosch University, South Africa, corne@sun.ac.za
^IIIDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Stellenbosch University, South Africa, denele@sun.ac.za

 

 

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ABSTRACT

Industrial engineering (IE) is a multi-disciplinary field, with its research borders broadening into a wide range of sub-disciplines. The South African Journal of Industrial Engineering (SAJIE) has been the official voice of IE research in South Africa for the past 22 years. In the interests of evaluating research scope, it is worth determining how IE fields have been covered by this journal. What are the current topics in IE, and how do they align with IE publication trends in other countries? This article attempts to investigate these issues in an objective way by using a text analytical technique to analyse the SAJIE publication collection. Due to the growth in the quantity of accessible textual information, and the growing importance of this type of information to business people and industrial engineers alike, the relevant text analytical method is also outlined.

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OPSOMMING

Bedryfsingenieurswese is 'n multidissiplinêre veld, met navorsingsgrense wat strek oor 'n wye reeks sub-dissiplines. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Bedryfsingenieurswese (SAJIE) was oor die afgelope 22 jaar die amptelike mondstuk vir bedryfsingenieurswese-gerigte navorsing in Suid-Afrika. Dit is betekenisvol om te bepaal in watter hoedanigheid bedryfsingenieurswesevelde deur die SAJIE gedek word, ten einde die bestek van navorsing te evalueer. Wat is die huidige temas van bedryfsingenieurswese, en hoe vergelyk dit met bedryfsingenieurswese-publikasieneigings in ander lande? Hierdie artikel poog om die vraagstuk op 'n objektiewe wyse na te vors deur die toepassing van 'n teksanalitiese tegniek om die SAJIE publikasie versameling te ontleed. Weens die toename in die hoeveelheid beskikbare tekstuele inligting, asook die toenemende belang van hierdie tipe inligting vir besigheidspersone asook bedryfsingenieurs, word die betrokke teksanalitiese metode ook bespreek.

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