For scholars in Management Science and Engineering (MSE), selecting the right conference is critical. The field is broad, spanning from Information Systems (IS) to Industrial Engineering (IE) and Operations Research (OR).To maximize academic credit (especially for Chinese scholars under the "FMS" or university-specific ranking systems), you must target conferences with IEEE sponsorship, AIS (Association for Information Systems) affiliation, or rigorous Ei Compendex indexing. Here is the curated list for 2026.
1. Information Systems & Digital Management (The "AIS" Series)
For researchers in Information Management, E-Commerce, and Digital Transformation, the conferences affiliated with the Association for Information Systems (AIS) are the gold standard.
• ICIS 2026 (International Conference on Information Systems)
o Tier: Top Tier (A+). The "Olympics" of the IS world.
o Date: December 2026
o Location: (Rotates globally)
o Recognition: FMS A-List. High impact.
o Focus: Human-Computer Interaction, IS Strategy, AI in Business.
• PACIS 2026 (Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems)
o Tier: Regional Top Tier (A/B).
o Date: June/July 2026
o Location: Asia-Pacific Region.
o Recognition: AIS Affiliated. Proceedings indexed in Scopus and AiSeL (AIS eLibrary).
o Focus: Digital Innovation in Asia, Fintech, Smart Cities.
• WHICEB 2026 (Wuhan International Conference on e-Business)
o Tier: Recognized Regional (AIS Chapter).
o Date: May 2026
o Location: Wuhan, China
o Recognition: AIS China Chapter flagship. Proceedings indexed by CPCI (WoS) and usually accessible via AIS eLibrary. Highly recognized in Chinese MSE schools.
2. Industrial Engineering & Operations Management (The "IEEE" Series)
For the "Hard" side of MSE—Supply Chain, Logistics, and Manufacturing—IEEE-sponsored conferences provide the safest route for Ei Compendex indexing.
• IEEE IEEM 2026 (International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management)
o Tier: High (Standard IEEE).
o Date: December 2026
o Location: Singapore / Asia (Rotates)
o Recognition: The flagship conference of the IEEE TEMS society in Asia. Ei Compendex indexing is extremely stable.
o Focus: Supply Chain Management, Quality Control, Project Management.
o Website: https://www.ieem.org/
• ICMSS 2026 (Management Science and Software Engineering)
o Tier: Entry-Level / Fast Publication.
o Date: July 2026
o Location: (TBD, often Thailand or China)
o Focus: Algorithm Optimization, Data Mining in Management.
o Recognition: Ei Compendex & Scopus. Good for students needing a quick graduation requirement.
3. Operations Research (The "INFORMS" Series)
• INFORMS Annual Meeting 2026
o Tier: Top Tier (A).
o Date: October/November 2026
o Location: USA
o Note: Primarily an Abstract-Based conference. While prestigious for networking and feedback, it does not typically produce a full Ei-indexed proceeding paper. Use this for building your reputation, not for "Paper Count."
4. Innovation & Project Management
• PICMET 2026 (Portland International Conference on Management of Engineering and Technology)
o Tier: High (A/B).
o Date: August 2026
o Location: Portland, USA (or International rotation)
o Focus: Technology Management, R&D Management, Innovation Strategy.
o Indexing: Ei Compendex and Scopus.
Submission Strategy for MSE Scholars
1. Check the "FMS List": In China, the Federation of Management Societies of China (FMS) publishes a recommended list. ICIS, PACIS, and INFORMS are high on this list.
2. Verify Indexing Type:
o For CS/IS directions: Target IEEE or AIS conferences (Full Paper review).
o For Economics/OR directions: Be careful—many top conferences are "Abstract Only." If your university requires a "Published Paper" for graduation, prioritize IEEE IEEM or PICMET.
3. Methodology: MSE is increasingly data-driven. Papers combining Machine Learning with traditional Optimization (Data-Driven OR) have a higher acceptance rate in 2026.
