eISSN: 2978-3682 editor@irjernet.com
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Instruction For Authors

Instruction For Authors

Frontiers in Strategic Management (FSM)

eISSN: 2978-3682

Editorial Email: editor@irjernet.com

1. About the Journal

Frontiers in Strategic Management (FSM) is an international, double-blind peer-reviewed, Open Access scholarly journal dedicated to publishing high-quality, impactful research that advances knowledge in strategic management, corporate governance, organizational leadership, and competitive strategy.

FSM provides an inclusive global platform for researchers, academicians, management consultants, executives, and policymakers to disseminate original empirical research, critical theoretical insights, and evidence-based solutions addressing strategic challenges in dynamic global environments.

2. Scope and Acceptable Topics

The journal welcomes high-quality submissions covering (but not limited to) the following core focus areas:

  • Strategic Management & Competitive Advantage

  • Corporate Governance, Board Dynamics, & Leadership

  • Global Strategy, International Business, & Emerging Markets

  • Strategic Entrepreneurship & Corporate Venturing

  • Mergers, Acquisitions, Joint Ventures, & Alliances

  • Digital Transformation, AI Strategy, & Industry 4.0

  • Sustainability Strategy, ESG, & Business Ethics

  • Strategic Agility, Organizational Resilience, & Change Management

  • Innovation Strategy & Knowledge Management

  • Strategic Human Resource Management & Organizational Culture

  • Business Policy, Industrial Economics, & Public Strategy

3. Acceptable Article Types

FSM publishes several distinct categories of scholarly contributions:

  • Original Research Articles: Empirical studies (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods) presenting novel findings, robust methodology, and clear practical/theoretical implications.

  • Review Papers: Critical, systematic, and comprehensive reviews of existing academic literature, meta-analyses, and emerging strategic theories.

  • Conceptual Papers: Theoretical frameworks, conceptual model developments, and groundbreaking strategic paradigms.

  • Case Studies: In-depth analyses of real-world organizational challenges, corporate strategic decisions, and implementation outcomes.

  • Short Communications & Policy Briefs: Brief reports on preliminary findings, novel methodological techniques, or urgent strategic industry perspectives.

4. Pre-Submission Checklist

Before submitting a manuscript, authors must verify full compliance with the following requirements:

  • Originality: The manuscript represents entirely original work and has not been published previously in any form.

  • Exclusivity: The manuscript is not currently under consideration by any other journal, edited book, or conference platform.

  • Author Approvals: All co-authors have reviewed, approved, and explicitly agreed to the submission of the final manuscript version.

  • Ethical Compliance: Necessary institutional ethics board approvals, informed consent, and data integrity standards have been strictly met.

  • Plagiarism & Integrity: The manuscript adheres to the journal's Publication Ethics and maintains a similarity index below the acceptable journal threshold (<15% overall, excluding references).

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5. Manuscript Preparation Guidelines

A. General Formatting

  • File Format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) format only.

  • Language: Academic English (clear, concise, and grammatically correct).

  • Font & Size: Times New Roman, 12 pt size.

  • Line Spacing: 1.5 line spacing throughout the entire document.

  • Margins: Standard 2.5 cm (1 inch) on all sides.

  • Page Numbers: Consecutive numbering centered at the bottom of each page.

B. Recommended Manuscript Structure

  • Title Page:

    • Concise and informative manuscript title.

    • Full names, affiliations, city, and country of all authors.

    • ORCID iDs for all authors.

    • Corresponding author’s email address (editor@irjernet.com / author email) and contact details.

  • Abstract: Structured or unstructured summary between 150–250 words covering background, objective, methodology, key findings, and strategic implications.

  • Keywords: 4 to 6 relevant keywords reflecting the primary subjects of the research.

  • Main Body Structure (IMRaD):

    • Introduction: Problem statement, research gaps, research questions, and objectives.

    • Literature Review / Theoretical Framework: Theoretical grounding and hypothesis development.

    • Methodology: Research design, sampling, data collection procedures, measurement scales, and analytical techniques.

    • Results / Analysis: Clear presentation of quantitative/qualitative empirical findings.

    • Discussion: Theoretical contributions, comparison with prior literature, practical/managerial implications, and limitations.

    • Conclusion: Concise summary of findings and future research directions.

  • Declarations & Statements:

    • Funding Statement: Details of research grants or financial support received.

    • Conflict of Interest Declaration: Disclosure of any personal, financial, or institutional competing interests.

    • Data Availability Statement: Clear explanation of where research data can be accessed.

  • Acknowledgements: (If applicable) Recognition of technical, language editing, or institutional support.

  • References: Formatted strictly in APA 7th Edition style. Active Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) must be provided for all references wherever available.

  • Tables & Figures: Embedded directly within the text close to their first mention with descriptive captions and high-resolution clarity.

6. Peer Review & Editorial Process

FSM enforces a rigorous Double-Blind Peer Review process to safeguard scientific quality and objectiveness:

  1. Initial Desk Review: The Editorial Office evaluates submissions for scope alignment, formatting compliance, language quality, and similarity analysis (Turnitin/iThenticate).

  2. Double-Blind Peer Review: Manuscripts meeting desk standards are evaluated by at least two independent domain experts without revealing author or reviewer identities.

  3. Editorial Decision: Based on reviewer recommendations, the Handling Editor / Editor-in-Chief issues one of five formal decisions:

    • Accept without Revision

    • Minor Revisions Required

    • Major Revisions Required (Subject to re-review)

    • Reject with Opportunity for Resubmission

    • Reject

7. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

  • Authors may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) or LLM tools solely for language translation, basic grammar improvement, or readability refinement.

  • AI tools cannot be listed as an author or co-author under any circumstances, as they do not meet authorship eligibility criteria.

  • Authors must explicitly declare the use of AI tools in the Methods or Acknowledgments section and remain 100% accountable for the originality, factual accuracy, and integrity of the content.

8. Open Access, Copyright & APC

  • Open Access: All published articles are made freely and permanently accessible online to readers worldwide immediately upon publication without restriction.

  • Copyright Retention: Authors retain 100% full copyright of their published work licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

  • Submission Fee: $0 (No charges for submitting or reviewing manuscripts).

  • Article Processing Charges (APC): An Article Processing Charge (APC) is payable only after formal peer review and final editorial acceptance. There are no hidden fees.

9. Manuscript Submission & Editorial Contact

Manuscripts must be submitted online through the journal's official publishing portal:

  • Online Submission Form: Submit Manuscript via Online Form

  • Editorial Assistance: For queries regarding manuscript status, preparation standards, or technical support, please contact the Editorial Office at editor@irjernet.com.