Peer Review Process

After submission, the editor will cautiously assess the manuscript to decide if it fits within the objectives and scope of the journal and is later verified for plagiarism. The editor will also assess the manuscript’s quality, relevance and suitability of research methods. Manuscripts that are not desk rejected are sent forward to undergo a double-blind – peer review, along with a reviewer’s checklist consisting of experts on the paper’s topic and methods.

Reviewers are expected to assess the following essentials of the manuscript on a five- point quality scale.

1. Importance and innovativeness of the topic
2. Objectives
3. Methodology
4. Literature review
5. Results
6. Conclusions
7. Structure
8. Quality of the manuscript regarding the academic writing

In addition, each reviewer is expected to write a report highlighting the paper´s strengths, weaknesses, suggestions for enhancement and concluding with one of the following recommendations:

1. Accept submission
2. Minor revisions required
3. Major revisions required
4. Decline submission

If not rejected in this process, authors are asked to improve their manuscript according to the suggestions of the reviewer and the editor. The ultimate decision to accept a paper is taken by the editors based on their own editorial review, the reviewers’ reports and evaluation of the improvements required. During the publication process, authors may be asked to make additional changes, adaptations, and improvements, if necessary.

Manuscript Preparation Guidelines

Language

The language of the manuscript must be English (either American or British standard, but not the mixture of both).

Title Page

The length of the paper should be within 15-20 pages (Times New Roman, 12 Font) including tables, figures, references and appendices (if any). Paper containing more than 20 pages will be returned to the author(s) to abridge. Articles should be typed in single space within paragraphs, double space between paragraphs with wide margins (1 inch on all sides). Authors are recommended to write as concisely as possible, but not at the cost of clarity.

Length of paper

The title page should include:

1. A concise and informative title
2. The name(s) of the author(s)
3. The affiliation(s) and address (es) of the author(s)
4. The ORCID account, e-mail address, contact number of the corresponding authors.

Abstract

Provide an abstract of 250 words. The abstract should:

1. State the principal objectives and scope of the investigation,
2. Describe the methodology employed,
3. Summarize the results and
4. State the key conclusion.

Keywords

1. 4 to 6 Keywords are required
2. List them in order of importance
3. Should identify the main points of the paper
4. Separated by a comma

* The authors are also encouraged to follow the JEL Classification of keywords .

Main Text

Divide the manuscript into clearly defined and numbered sections. Subsections should be numbered 1, 2, (then 1.1, 1.1.1, 1.1.2), etc. The abstract is not included in section numbering. Main text of the manuscript is consisting of:

1. Introduction

Provide the necessary background information to put the research work into context. The introduction should be provided within 2-3 paragraphs based on the type or category of information presented with the objectives of the study.

2. Methodology

This section must be brief but informative. Clearly explain the way in which the research work was carried out according to the following generalized structure:
How the data was obtained?
How the data was analyzed?

3. Results

   It is the most significant part of a paper. The Results section presents the experimental data to the reader and is not a place for discussion or interpretation of the data. The data itself should be presented in tables and figures. Introduce each group of tables and figures in a separate paragraph.

   Ensure the following while using tables and figures:

   • Tables and graphs should be submitted in their original Word/Excel format.
   • Tables should not be split across pages
   • The entire table should be single spaced including title, headings and notes.
   • The table should be referred in the text. The text should explain what the reader should look for when using the table or figure.
   • The tables can be either coloured or black and white.
   • Abbreviations, terminology, probability level values must be consistent across tables and figures in the same article.
   • Likewise, formats, titles and headings must be consistent.
   • Number all the figures consecutively with Arabic numerals.
   • Avoid overuse of effects like 3D effects, shading and layered text.
   • The height of figures should not exceed the top and bottom margins.
   • The text in a figure should be in Times New Roman.
   • The font size must be between eight and twelve point.
   
   

4. Discussion



• Finalize the discussion section according to the following criteria:
• Try to present the principles, relationships and generalization shown by the results. Discuss, and do not summarize the results.
• Show how the results and interpretations are in agreement with (or in contrast) with previous published works.
• Discuss both theoretical implications, as well as practical application.
• Author should be more focused on the justification of the results.



5. Conclusions

   It is important to include the practical implications of your research in the Conclusions, discussing what the implications are for practitioners, companies etc. First introduce the work and then briefly state the major results. Then state the major points of the discussion. Finally, end with a statement of how this work contributes to the overall field of study. Author should present conclusion in one or two paragraphs with the whole message.

   The Conclusions section can be written up by using the following structure:

   • Introduction,
   • Results,
   • Significance of the research implications,
   • Limitations and
   • Recommended topics for further study.
   
   

6. References



• References should be included at the end of the manuscript.
• References should be complete in all respects, with authors’ surnames arranged alphabetically following conventional citation styles.
• Authors are requested to follow the APA 7th edition style. (Please visit www.apastyle.org to learn more about APA style)



7. Supplementary Material

   Unpublished material such as tables and figures that relate to the manuscript but are too lengthy to be printed with the manuscript can be submitted online as Supplementary Material. Do not include material that has been published previously or is otherwise under copyright restriction.