Expert Systems with Applications is a refereed journal, whose focus is on the exchange of information relating to expert systems applied in industry, government and universities worldwide. The thrust of the journal is to publish papers dealing with the design, development, testing, implementation and/or management of expert systems and to also provide practical guidelines in the development and management of these systems. The journal will publish papers in expert systems technology and applications in the areas of, but not limited to: finance, accounting, engineering, marketing, auditing, law, procurement and contracting, project management, risk assessment, information management, information retrieval, crisis management, stock trading, strategic management, network management, telecommunications, space, education, intelligent front ends, expert database systems, expert systems and hypertext, expert systems and neural networks, medicine, chemistry, human resources management, business, production management, archaeology, economics, energy, and defense.