Robustness of the No-Feedback Indexability Theorem to information-policy variations

Establish whether the No-Feedback Indexability Theorem—stating that when journals provide no feedback (q_i = 0), the optimal submission order sorts journals by decreasing modified acceptance payoff u_i − c_i/a_i—remains valid under alternative specifications of the acceptance/rejection information policy used to model journals. Ascertain the precise conditions on the acceptance/rejection signal structure (with q_i = 0) under which this index continues to be optimal, and determine the implications of such changes for the Monotone Optimality result proved under weak feedback (Theorem \ref{weak_feedback}).

Background

The paper proves a prior-independent indexability result (Theorem \ref{no_feedback}) in the no-feedback case (q_i = 0), showing that the optimal submission order is given by decreasing values of u_i − c_i/a_i. This relies on an information structure in which only high-quality papers are accepted (low-quality papers are never accepted), and accept/reject outcomes provide purely negative information when rejection occurs.

In the conclusion, the author conjectures that the detailed modeling of the acceptance/rejection information policy should not affect the validity of Theorem \ref{no_feedback}, and notes that how such details impact the weak-feedback monotone optimality result (Theorem \ref{weak_feedback}) is uncertain. Formalizing and proving the robustness of these results to changes in the acceptance/rejection signal structure is therefore explicitly posed as an open task.