Author Guidelines

AUTHOR GUIDELINES POLICY

 

The International Journal of Business and Management (IJBM) welcomes the submission of original, high-quality research articles, review papers, and conceptual papers that contribute to the advancement of business, management, accounting, finance, economics, entrepreneurship, marketing, human resource management, sustainability, and related disciplines.

Authors are encouraged to read these guidelines carefully before submitting their manuscripts.

1. Originality and Publication Ethics

Authors must ensure that the submitted manuscript:

• is original and has not been published previously in any journal;
• is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal or publisher;
• does not contain plagiarism, fabricated data, or manipulated images;
• is at least 30% substantially different from any previously published or presented conference paper by the same author(s); and
• complies with IJBM's Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement.

All submitted manuscripts will be screened using plagiarism detection software prior to editorial review. Manuscripts exhibiting unacceptable similarity levels or evidence of plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, image manipulation, or any other form of academic misconduct will be rejected without further consideration.

2. Language

Manuscripts must be written in clear, concise academic English throughout the manuscript.

Authors whose first language is not English are strongly encouraged to have their manuscripts professionally proofread before submission.

Foreign words and phrases should be italicised.

3. Manuscript Preparation

Authors must prepare their manuscript using the official IJBM Manuscript Template. (IMPORTANT NOTICE — NEW IJBM TEMPLATE: Effective from Volume 9, Issue 2 (2026), IJBM will use a new manuscript template. All authors are required to use the new IJBM Template for manuscript submission.)

The manuscript should generally contain:

• Title
• Abstract (maximum 200 words)
• Keywords (3–5 keywords)
• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Research Methodology
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Acknowledgements 
• Declaration of AI Use 
• Conflict of Interest Statement
• Ethical Declaration 
• Data Availability Statement
• Authors' Contribution
• Funding Statement
• References

The abstract should clearly summarise:

• the research problem or objective;
• methodology;
• principal findings; and
• practical or theoretical implications. 

4. Formatting Requirements

Authors should ensure that:

• manuscripts are prepared in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx);
• the official IJBM manuscript template is used without modifying the prescribed formatting;
• all tables and figures are clearly numbered and titled;
• all abbreviations are defined upon first use; and
• page numbers are not added manually. 

5. Equations

Mathematical equations must be prepared using the Microsoft Word Equation Editor or compatible equation software.

Equations must remain fully editable and must not be inserted as images. 

6. Figures, Tables and Illustrations

Figures, photographs, diagrams and graphs should:

• be clear and of publication quality;
• have a minimum resolution of 240 dpi;
• be numbered consecutively;
• include appropriate captions; and
• be cited within the main text.

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyrighted material. 

7. References

IJBM adopts the APA (7th Edition) referencing style.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that:

• every in-text citation appears in the reference list;
• every reference is cited in the text;
• DOIs and URLs are included where available;
• references are complete and accurate.

Failure to follow APA style may delay editorial processing. 

8. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use

Authors who use artificial intelligence (AI) tools during manuscript preparation must disclose such use in an AI Use Statement.

AI tools must not be listed as authors and remain the sole responsibility of the human authors. 

9. Online Submission

All manuscripts must be submitted via Submit Manuscript 

Please refer to the format and style guidelines when preparing your manuscript. Authors are strongly encouraged to review the Sample Clean Version of the IJBM Manuscript as a reference for the correct formatting and presentation.

Download the IJBM Manuscript Template [download here] and refer to the Sample Clean Version of the IJBM Manuscript [view sample here].

Submissions sent via email will not be considered.

Before submitting, authors should ensure that all required metadata have been completed accurately, including:

• author affiliations;
• ORCID iDs (where available);
• corresponding author details; and
• manuscript keywords. 

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EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS AS AUTHOR POLICY 

The International Journal of Business and Management (IJBM) welcomes high-quality manuscript submissions from members of its Editorial Board. To ensure the integrity, transparency, fairness, and impartiality of the editorial process, all submissions from Editorial Board members are managed in accordance with the following policy.

1. Equal Treatment

Editorial Board members receive no preferential treatment. Their manuscripts are evaluated using the same editorial standards, peer-review procedures, and acceptance criteria applied to all other submissions.

2. Conflict of Interest Declaration (COI)

Editorial Board members submitting manuscripts must complete and submit the Conflict of Interest (COI) Declaration Form at the time of submission. They are required to disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest and must not participate in any stage of the editorial handling or decision-making process concerning their own manuscript. They must complete and submit [COI declaration form]. 

3. Double-Blind Peer Review

All manuscripts submitted by Editorial Board members undergo the journal's standard double-blind peer-review process and are evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with appropriate subject expertise and no known conflicts of interest.

4. Editorial Independence

To preserve editorial independence, the submitting Editorial Board member will not have access to reviewer identities, confidential reviewer reports prior to their official release, internal editorial discussions, or any editorial system functions relating to their own manuscript.

5. Editorial Decision

The final editorial decision will be made by an editor who has no conflict of interest with the submitted manuscript. Where appropriate, the Publisher or Journal Owner may oversee the editorial process to ensure fairness, transparency, and compliance with the journal's publication ethics.

6. Compliance with Publication Ethics

Editorial Board members are expected to comply with the IJBM Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement, the Conflict of Interest Policy, and the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Failure to comply with these requirements may result in rejection of the manuscript or other appropriate editorial action.

7. Acceptance Standards

Membership on the Editorial Board does not guarantee publication. All manuscripts must satisfy the same standards of originality, methodological rigour, scholarly quality, ethical compliance, and relevance to the aims and scope of IJBM before they can be accepted for publication.

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STATEMENT OF ETHICS & AUTHOR RESPONSIBILITY 

The International Journal of Business Management (IJBM) is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards for all parties involved in the publication process including authors, reviewers, and editors. By submitting a manuscript to IJBM, authors confirm adherence to these principles, including ethical data use and integrity in reporting.

1. Research Results - Research must be conducted ethically, using valid and documented methods. Data should be properly collected, analyzed, and recorded to allow verification. Misconduct such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or selective reporting is strictly prohibited. Authors must correct any errors identified post-submission, including retraction if necessary. Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is not allowed.

2. Authorship and Publication - Authors must ensure their manuscript reflects sound methodology, ethical research practices, and accurate analysis. Authorship should be limited to individuals who contributed significantly to the research. All sources, tools, or copyrighted materials used must be properly cited and permission obtained. Financial support and ethical approval must be disclosed, and proper acknowledgment given to others who contributed.

3. Collaborations - All co-authors share responsibility for the content. The corresponding author must ensure all collaborators approve the final version and agree to its submission. Those unable to accept this responsibility should not be listed as co-authors.

4. Peer Review - Reviewers must maintain confidentiality and avoid conflicts of interest. Reviews should be objective, respectful, and based solely on the content. Reviewers are encouraged to highlight missing citations, incorrect references, or potential overlaps with other work. Any concerns should be discussed with the editor.

5. Editorial Responsibilities - Editors have full authority over acceptance or rejection of manuscripts, guided by quality, relevance, and originality. All submissions must be judged fairly, without bias based on authors' background, identity, or affiliation. Editors must ensure confidentiality, manage conflicts of interest, and act promptly on suspected ethical issues, including retractions or bans on future submissions if necessary.

6. English Language Editing - Manuscripts must be professionally edited for language clarity. Authors must provide a certificate or written statement from a recognized editing service upon submission. All editing costs are borne by the authors. This ensures clarity in peer review and supports timely publication. 

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PEER REVIEW PROCESS POLICY 

The International Journal of Business and Management (IJBM) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of scholarly publishing through a rigorous, fair, and transparent double-blind peer review process. Under this model, the identities of both authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout the review process to ensure impartiality and minimise potential bias.

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial screening to assess their suitability for the journal's aims and scope, originality, manuscript quality, compliance with the IJBM Author Guidelines, and adherence to publication ethics. Manuscripts that fail to meet these basic requirements may be rejected without external review (desk rejection).

Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are assigned to at least two independent expert reviewers with appropriate subject expertise and no known conflicts of interest. Reviewers evaluate the manuscript based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

• Originality and novelty of the research;
• Relevance to the aims and scope of IJBM;
• Significance and contribution to theory and practice;
• Quality of the literature review and theoretical foundation;
• Soundness and appropriateness of the research methodology;
• Validity and reliability of data analysis and interpretation;
• Clarity, organisation, and quality of academic writing; and
• Compliance with ethical and publication standards.

Reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive, and confidential feedback that assists authors in improving the quality of their manuscripts. 

1. Peer Review Workflow

The peer review process consists of the following stages:

• Manuscript Submission – Authors submit their manuscript through the IJBM Online Journal System (OJS).
• Initial Editorial Screening – The editorial office evaluates the submission for completeness, originality, journal scope, formatting requirements, plagiarism, and ethical compliance.
• Reviewer Assignment – Suitable manuscripts are assigned to at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise.
• Double-Blind Peer Review – Reviewers assess the manuscript independently and submit detailed recommendations and comments.
• Editorial Decision – Based on the reviewers' reports, the Editor makes one of the following decisions:
  • Accept;
  • Accept with Minor Revisions;
  • Major Revisions Required (Resubmission);
  • Reject.

1. Author Revision – Where revisions are required, authors must address all reviewer comments and submit a revised manuscript together with a detailed response to reviewers.

2. Final Decision – The Editor evaluates the revised manuscript and, where necessary, may send it for further review before making the final publication decision. 

2. Review Timeline

IJBM aims to conduct the peer review process efficiently while maintaining high standards of scholarly evaluation.

The review process generally involves:

• Initial editorial screening
• External peer review
• Author revision, where required
• Final editorial decision

The duration of the review process may vary depending on reviewer availability, manuscript quality, and the extent of revisions required.

3. Confidentiality

All manuscripts submitted to IJBM are treated as confidential documents. Editors and reviewers must not disclose, discuss, or use any unpublished information contained in submitted manuscripts except as necessary for the peer review process. 

4. Conflict of Interest

Editors and reviewers must declare any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that could influence the review process. Individuals with conflicts of interest will not participate in the evaluation of the manuscript. 

5. Ethical Standards

IJBM follows internationally recognised publication ethics and is committed to ensuring a fair, objective, and transparent peer review process. All participants in the publication process (authors, reviewers, and editors) are expected to uphold the highest standards of research integrity, confidentiality, and professional conduct throughout the review process.

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