Editorial - origins, reflections and ending

Abstract

First paragraph: A few years ago, I indicated that I wanted to stand down as an editor, but it has taken some time to arrange this and for the publishers to organise a competition for a replacement editor and team. This was achieved just around the time the pandemic struck, so the handover has been slightly slower than it might have been. From late summer 2020, all new papers have been dealt with by Professor Ulf Johansson (Lund University), the new editor. I have been responsible for those papers that I had received before that date. The final ones of these comprise most of this final issue of 2021. From the first issue of 2022 the papers and the Review will be firmly and fully in Professor Johansson’s hands. Over the last 2 years, therefore, I have been steadily handing over the reins of the Review. During the handover, I have been in regular contact with Ulf as he got to grips with the Review and the online manuscript handling system. It has been an interesting time for us, trying to do this as the pandemic rampaged and normal academic life was turned upside down. We agreed though that this final issue of 2021 would be a suitable point to formally and publicly hand over, although many people knew it was happening anyhow. We also agreed that an editorial reflecting on my (long) time as editor would be appropriate in this final issue of my tenure. In this editorial therefore, I want to reflect on the origins and story of the Review, the changes to the editorial process over this period and some personal reflections on changing academia and the academic study of retailing.