Guest Editorial

Abstract

“Thinkers aren’t limited by what they know, because they can always increase what they know. Rather they’re limited by what puzzles them, because there’s no way to become curious about something that doesn’t puzzle you.” Daniel Quinn This year, the annual Special Edition presents the best work from the Second International Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, and Engineering Management (ISEM) conference, held from 2 to 4 October 2023 in Somerset West, South Africa. The papers that are included undergo the same double-blind peer review process as the journal, using the journal’s criteria. The papers chosen for this edition were selected on the basis of reviewer rankings and a final check of their quality and suitability by the journal editors. The theme of the ISEM conference – “Be the piece” – challenged delegates to be curious, to network, and to share as they found ways to puzzle collectively over the challenges of the future. My highlight of the conference was the physical puzzle that was enthusiastically built by delegates over three days, constructing not only a beautiful picture but also lasting friendships and connections. The scope of topics covered by our annual Special Edition never fails to disappoint. Once again, the papers present a range of work from theoretical studies to the application of techniques in practical cases in a wide variety of contexts, including mining, healthcare, and agriculture, and address prominent issues related to sustainability and societal impact. The ISEM conference, and by extension the papers included in this Special Edition, bring together the communities of industrial and systems engineering and engineering management, and showcase the synergies and opportunities presented by these unique yet overlapping disciplines as they piece together ways to tackle society’s grand challenges. Teresa Hattingh Guest editor