Author Guidelines

The IFSMRC African International Journal of Research in Management (AIJRM) welcomes original, high-quality scholarly manuscripts that contribute to the advancement of management research, theory, and practice. Authors are invited to submit manuscripts that are academically rigorous, ethically sound, and relevant to contemporary issues in management and allied disciplines.

To ensure consistency, quality, and transparency in the publication process, authors are requested to carefully follow the guidelines below before submitting their manuscripts.

1. Types of Manuscripts Accepted

AIJRM accepts the following categories of scholarly submissions:

  • Original Research Articles
  • Review Articles
  • Case Studies
  • Conceptual Papers
  • Short Communications
  • Book Reviews
  • Empirical and Applied Research Papers

All submissions must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration for publication elsewhere.

2. Scope of the Journal

Authors may submit manuscripts in, but not limited to, the following areas:

  • Strategic Management
  • Human Resource Management
  • Financial Management
  • Marketing Management
  • Operations and Supply Chain Management
  • Entrepreneurship and Innovation
  • Organizational Behavior
  • Leadership and Governance
  • Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility
  • International Business
  • Public Administration and Policy
  • Project and Risk Management
  • Digital Transformation and Management Information Systems

Interdisciplinary research relevant to management studies is strongly encouraged.

3. Manuscript Preparation

Authors should prepare manuscripts in clear, concise, and grammatically correct English.

General Formatting Requirements

  • Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) format
  • Use Times New Roman, 12-point font
  • Line spacing must be 1.5
  • Margins should be 1 inch on all sides
  • Pages must be numbered consecutively
  • Text should be justified throughout
  • Manuscript length should generally be between 4,000 and 8,000 words (excluding references)

4. Structure of the Manuscript

Authors should organize manuscripts in the following order:

Title Page

The title page should include:

  • Full title of the manuscript
  • Name(s) of author(s)
  • Institutional affiliation(s)
  • Email address of corresponding author
  • ORCID ID (if available)
  • Contact details of corresponding author

Abstract

  • Must be between 150–250 words
  • Clearly state the purpose, methodology, findings, and implications of the study

Keywords

  • Include 4–6 keywords immediately after the abstract

Main Manuscript

The main body should typically include:

  • Introduction
  • Literature Review
  • Research Methodology
  • Results / Findings
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion
  • Recommendations (if applicable)

Acknowledgment (Optional)

Authors may acknowledge funding agencies, institutions, or contributors.

Conflict of Interest Statement

Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflict of interest.

References

All references must be complete, accurate, and formatted consistently.

5. Citation and Referencing Style

AIJRM follows the APA (7th Edition) referencing style.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that:

  • All in-text citations appear in the reference list
  • All references in the reference list are cited in the text
  • DOIs should be included wherever available
  • References are accurate and up to date

Examples:

Journal Article:
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page–page. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Book:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher.

Book Chapter:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In B. B. Editor (Ed.), Book title (pp. xx–xx). Publisher.

6. Tables, Figures, and Illustrations

  • Tables and figures must be numbered consecutively
  • Each table/figure must include a clear title and source (if applicable)
  • Figures should be high quality and editable where possible
  • Authors must ensure all visuals are properly cited and permission is obtained where necessary

7. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting to AIJRM must adhere to the highest standards of publication ethics.

Authors must ensure that:

  • The manuscript is original and free from plagiarism
  • The work has not been published previously
  • The manuscript is not under review elsewhere
  • All authors have significantly contributed to the work
  • All co-authors approve the final submitted version
  • Data presented are accurate and not fabricated or manipulated
  • Proper acknowledgment of sources is provided

Plagiarism, duplicate submission, data falsification, and unethical research practices are strictly prohibited.

8. Peer Review Process

All submitted manuscripts undergo a double-blind peer review process.

The review process includes:

  1. Initial editorial screening
  2. Similarity/plagiarism check
  3. Double-blind peer review by expert reviewers
  4. Editorial decision (Accept / Minor Revision / Major Revision / Reject)
  5. Final acceptance and publication

The editorial board reserves the right to reject manuscripts that do not meet the journal’s quality or ethical standards.

9. Submission Process

Authors should submit manuscripts through the journal’s online submission system.

Before submission, authors must ensure:

  • The manuscript follows journal formatting guidelines
  • The title page is complete
  • The manuscript file is anonymized for peer review
  • References are complete and correctly formatted
  • All required declarations are included

10. Copyright and Open Access Policy

AIJRM is an open-access journal, and all published articles are freely accessible to readers worldwide.

Authors retain copyright of their work while granting the journal the right to publish, archive, and disseminate the article.

By submitting to AIJRM, authors agree to the journal’s open-access and publication policies.

11. Article Processing Charges (APC)

Any applicable publication or processing charges will be clearly communicated to authors during the editorial process.

The journal maintains transparency in all publication-related fees.

12. Contact for Author Support

For questions related to manuscript preparation, submission, or publication, authors may contact the editorial office through the journal’s official communication channels.

The editorial team of AIJRM is committed to supporting authors through a fair, transparent, and professional publication process.