I wish HOPE all the best in getting relisted and in improving its citation
impact ranking.
The methodology employeed at ISI is different from what it used to be when
the index was produced in paper and you had to make a trip to the library to
track citations. The changes in the methodology have impacted that citation
rankings of journals, and also individuals --- scholars who publish books in
economics, or scholars who publish articles outside the main citation impact
journals will find their ranking dwindling, when actually a broader search
would reveal a greater scholarly influence than is recorded by the new ISI.
If you look at econphd.net you will see the absurdity of this when the
listing of departments that value history of thought and methodology is
made.
Anyway, many of these issues are explored in Econ Journal Watch --- an
outstanding resource.
This link will bring you to an issue devoted to the ISI and ranking methods:
http://www.econjournalwatch.org/main/archive_section.php?categories_id=4
Peter Boettke