The Chief Editor appears to have a different timeline for manuscript processing compared to the associate editors at JRS. Based on my experience as a reviewer for the journal, the associate editors typically process peer reviews and recommendations within one to two months. However, during my latest submission, despite the associate editor's recommendation to transfer my manuscript to another journal within a few weeks, it took the chief editor more than four months to issue a desk rejection. Throughout this period, I reached out to Elsevier multiple times seeking updates on the status of my manuscript. After a wait of five months, my manuscript was rejected without specific feedback or suggestions for improvement. I'm sorry I can't find another way to describe this other than unprofessional. Researchers might want to be aware of these timelines before considering the journal for their submissions.
