Review Policy and Process
All manuscripts submitted to Journal of Development and Management Sciences undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure the quality, originality, and scientific contribution of published articles. In this process, the identities of both authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout the review procedure.
Each submitted manuscript is initially evaluated by the Chief Editor and Section Editors to determine its suitability with the journal’s aims, scope, and author guidelines. Manuscripts that do not comply with the journal’s standards or formatting requirements may be rejected at the preliminary screening stage without being sent for peer review.
Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are assigned to at least two qualified peer reviewers with expertise relevant to the manuscript’s subject area. Reviewers are requested to evaluate the manuscript based on the following criteria:
- Originality and novelty of the study
- Scientific and methodological rigor
- Objectivity and clarity of analysis
- Relevance and contribution to management and business studies
- Validity of conclusions and implications
- Adequacy and relevance of references
The review process is generally completed within three weeks. If reviewers provide conflicting recommendations, particularly in cases where one reviewer recommends rejection, the Chief Editor may appoint an additional reviewer or consult the Section Editors for a final decision.
Based on reviewers’ recommendations, the editorial decision may fall into one of the following categories:
- Accepted without revision
- Accepted with minor revisions
- Accepted with major revisions
- Rejected
Manuscripts requiring revision will be returned to the authors through the journal’s Online Journal System (OJS). Authors are expected to revise and resubmit their manuscripts within the specified timeframe. Revised manuscripts will be re-evaluated by the Section Editors and, when necessary, returned to the reviewers for further assessment.
The revision stages generally include:
- Revision based on peer reviewer comments (within 2–4 weeks).
- Revision based on Section Editor recommendations, if required (within 2–4 weeks); and
- Final revision based on editorial board recommendations, if applicable (within 1 week).
Manuscripts that exceed the revision deadline may be withdrawn from the publication process. However, authors may request an extension from the Chief Editor before the deadline expires.
After final acceptance, manuscripts are forwarded to the technical editor for copyediting, layout editing, and preparation for publication. The Chief Editor subsequently issues an official acceptance letter to the corresponding author.
The duration between manuscript submission and final acceptance may vary depending on the length of the review and revision process.
Grounds for Rejection
A manuscript may be rejected for one or more of the following reasons:
- The topic does not fall within the journal’s scope and objectives.
- The manuscript lacks scientific quality, originality, methodological rigor, or meaningful contribution to existing knowledge.
- There is inconsistency between the research objectives, methodology, findings, and conclusions.
- The manuscript does not comply with the journal’s author guidelines and formatting requirements; or
- Authors fail to adequately revise the manuscript or respond to reviewer and editorial comments.
