Submissions

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Submission Preparation Checklist

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
  • The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
  • The submission file is in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, or RTF document file format.
  • Where available, URLs for the references have been provided.
  • The text is single-spaced; uses a 12-point font; employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
  • The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.

Author Guidelines

Author Responsibilities

By submitting a manuscript to IJBS, authors confirm that:

  • The manuscript is original and has not been published or submitted elsewhere.
  • All authors have contributed significantly to the work.
  • Any conflicts of interest are disclosed.
  • Proper ethical approval has been obtained (if applicable).
  • The work adheres to COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics)

Manuscript Types

IJBS accepts three types of manuscripts: full research articles, review articles, and case studies, all contributing to business sustainability research and practice.

Full Research Articles

Full research articles present original empirical or theoretical research that advances knowledge in business sustainability. They should include a clear research problem, objectives, methodology, findings, and implications. Manuscripts should be 3,000–8,000 words, excluding abstract, tables, figures, and references, with a minimum of 30 references.

Review Articles

Review articles provide a critical analysis of existing literature, identifying research gaps and proposing future directions. Systematic literature reviews, bibliometric analyses, and meta-analyses are encouraged. Manuscripts should be 3,000–10,000 words, excluding abstract, tables, figures, and references, with at least 40 references.

Case Studies

Case studies offer practical insights into real-world business sustainability practices, analyzing key strategies, challenges, and outcomes. They must be based on credible sources and discuss broader implications. Manuscripts should be 1,500–2,000 words, excluding abstract, tables, and figures, with a minimum of 20 references.

All manuscripts must align with IJBS's aims and scope and adhere to academic and ethical standards. Authors should select the appropriate manuscript type based on their research objectives.

Generative AI Usage Key Principles

Authors must disclose the use of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Bard) in their manuscript preparation. While AI may assist in language refinement, grammar correction, or formatting, it cannot be used to generate original ideas, develop research analyses, or draw conclusions. Additionally, AI-generated content cannot be credited as an author, as authorship requires substantial intellectual contributions. Misuse of AI tools in research, including the fabrication of data or references, is considered unethical and may lead to manuscript rejection. Authors are responsible for ensuring that their work adheres to academic integrity and originality standards.

Research and Publishing Ethics

IJBS upholds the highest ethical standards in research and publishing, following the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Authors must ensure that their submissions are original, free from plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and duplicate submissions. Any form of data manipulation, falsification, or fabrication is strictly prohibited. If research involves human participants, authors must obtain informed consent and comply with ethical research standards. Proper citation of all referenced work is mandatory, ensuring due credit to previous researchers. Additionally, authors must disclose all sources of funding and any potential conflicts of interest to maintain transparency and integrity in academic publishing.

 Third-Party Copyright Permissions

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reuse copyrighted material, including figures, tables, images, and excerpts from previously published works. If third-party content is used, proper acknowledgment must be given, and permission letters from the copyright holder must be submittedalongside the manuscript. Failure to secure proper copyright permissions may result in the rejection of the manuscript or removal of copyrighted content from the final publication.

Open Access Information

IJBS is a platinum open-access journal, meaning all published articles are freely accessible to researchers, practitioners, and the general public without subscriptions or paywalls. The journal operates under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license, allowing authors to retain copyright while permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction of their work, provided proper attribution is given. This model promotes wider dissemination, higher visibility, and greater impact for scholarly research in business sustainability.

Prepare Your Submission

Manuscripts submitted to IJBS must adhere to the following formatting guidelines to ensure consistency and readability. The document should be formatted for an A4-sized page with 30 mm margins on the top, left, and right, and a 25 mm bottom margin. The text must be fully justified to maintain a professional and uniform appearance throughout the manuscript.

Submissions should be prepared in Microsoft Word (DOC/DOCX) format using Times New Roman, 12 pt, single-spaced text. The first paragraph following a heading should not be indented, whereas all subsequent paragraphs must be indented by 10 mm to enhance readability and structure.

Manuscripts should follow a single-column layout, and all pages must be numbered sequentially to facilitate the review and editorial process. Authors should ensure the use of standard fonts, with the 'Symbols' font designated for Greek characters. The manuscript should be written in clear, concise, and grammatically sound English, employing an active and direct writing style to enhance clarity and scholarly impact.

Manuscripts should include:

  • Title
  • Abstract
  • Keywords
  • Introduction
  • Literature review (if relevant)
  • Methodology
  • Research findings
  • Discussion, implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research
  • Conclusions
  • Acknowledgments
  • References
  • Appendices

Articles

Section default policy

Copyright Notice

Copyright Licensing Policy

The International Journal of Business Sustainability (IJBS) is committed to upholding high ethical standards in publishing while ensuring that authors retain ownership of their intellectual property. This policy outlines the copyright, publishing rights, and licensing framework for articles published in IJBS.

Copyright Policy

  • The author(s) retain full ownership of the intellectual property rights of their work published in IJBS.
  • Authors grant IJBS a non-exclusive right to publish and distribute the article in print and digital formats.
  • Authors may reuse, distribute, and archive their work while acknowledging IJBS as the original publisher.

Publishing Rights

Authors hold unrestricted publication rights, allowing them to:

  • Share the work in academic and professional settings.
  • Post the article in institutional repositories and personal websites.
  • Reuse content in future research with proper attribution.

Authors grant IJBS the right to:

  • Publish the article and designate IJBS as the original publisher.
  • Distribute the article through indexing services, repositories, and academic databases.

Licensing Policy

IJBS is an open-access journal and follows the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). This means:

  • Users can share (copy and redistribute) the material in any medium or format.
  • Users can adapt (remix, transform, and build upon) the material.
  • Proper attribution must be given, including a link to the license and an indication of any modifications.
  • Noncommercial – The material cannot be used for commercial purposes.

More details on the full license agreement can be found at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode

Privacy Statement

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