Journal Policy

1. Introduction

The Suffa University Journal of Business Management (SUJBM), with ISSN (print): 3078-2554 and ISSN (online): 3078-2562, is a biannual, research-driven publication committed to promoting scholarly knowledge and innovative practices across various fields within business and management. It is published by the Department of Management Sciences at DHA Suffa University.

SUJBM aims to foster intellectual growth by providing a robust platform for researchers, academicians, and practitioners to share their contributions and ideas. Through its commitment to interdisciplinary exploration, SUJBM seeks to bridge gaps between various business disciplines, such as Finance, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior, Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain Management, Strategic Management, and Business Ethics, along with their practical applications. The journal encourages collaboration and knowledge exchange to address contemporary business challenges.

2. Vision

Our vision is to become a cornerstone for intellectual growth, fostering collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and educators while enabling the global transfer of knowledge.

By empowering the academic community and fostering a culture of research excellence, SUJBM aspires to achieve global recognition as a leading journal in business and management research, contributing to industry and academic advancements.

3. Mission

The journal’s mission is to empower students, professionals, and researchers by providing opportunities to disseminate their work to a broad audience. SUJBM emphasizes the development of critical skills in research, leadership, and knowledge dissemination, helping its community contribute meaningfully to the academic and professional spheres. We invite you to join us in this endeavor to enrich the field of business management through groundbreaking research and collaboration.

4. Scope

SUJBM encompasses a broad range of business and management disciplines and interdisciplinary approaches. The journal publishes high-quality research on topics such as corporate governance, business strategy, financial management, marketing analytics, leadership, innovation, and emerging business trends. It also welcomes studies at the intersection of business with technology, sustainability, ethics, and global markets. By addressing diverse areas of interest, SUJBM aims to foster academic and industry-oriented research that has practical implications.

5. Aim

SUJBM aims to identify, explore, and nurture intellectual contributions in the field of business management by promoting high-caliber research and providing a platform for its dissemination. With a focus on interdisciplinary approaches, the journal seeks to inspire innovation and knowledge-sharing that addresses pressing business and societal challenges.

It facilitates the exchange of ideas that advance the understanding and application of business and management principles in both academic and practical settings, contributing to the global body of knowledge in the field.

6. Research Journal Team and its Role

6.1.Patron

The Patron is the head of the institution. He supports the journal's mission and to help ensure its continued success and impact in the academic community.

6.2.Chief Editor

The Chief Editor is responsible for overseeing the journal's overall operation. This includes setting the journal's strategic direction, managing the editorial process, ensuring that the journal adheres to ethical standards, and making final decisions on whether to accept or reject manuscripts.

6.3.Editor

The Editor is responsible for overseeing the review process for manuscripts in their area of expertise. This includes identifying suitable reviewers, evaluating manuscripts, and making recommendations on whether to accept or reject manuscripts.

6.4.Managing Editor

The Managing Editor is responsible for coordinating the overall editorial workflow and ensuring the timely progression of manuscripts through the review process. This role involves managing communication between editors, authors, and reviewers, as well as overseeing compliance with journal policies and quality standards. Additionally, the Managing Editor facilitates editorial board meetings and implements strategic decisions to support the journal's objectives.

6.5.Associate Editor

The Associate Editor works closely with the Editor to oversee the review process for manuscripts. They may also assist with identifying suitable reviewers, evaluating manuscripts, and making recommendations on whether to accept or reject manuscripts.

6.6.Section Editor

The Section Editor specializes in a specific area or topic within the journal and manages the review process for manuscripts in their domain of expertise. They ensure that the content aligns with the journal’s objectives, maintaining relevance and quality. In this role, the Section Editor provides expert guidance and support to reviewers and authors, contributing to the overall scholarly value of the journal.

6.7.Copy Editor

The Copy Editor is responsible for refining the language, grammar, and formatting of manuscripts to meet the journal’s publication standards. This includes ensuring adherence to the style guide, checking for accuracy, consistency, and clarity, and resolving any language or stylistic issues in collaboration with the authors. The Copy Editor’s role is essential in preparing polished, high-quality manuscripts for publication.

6.8.Editorial Board

The Editorial Board consists of experts in the field who provide guidance and advice to the Chief Editor and Editors. They may also assist with identifying suitable reviewers, evaluating manuscripts, and providing feedback to authors.

6.9. Reviewer

Reviewers are experts in the field who evaluate manuscripts and provide feedback to the Editors. They are responsible for ensuring that manuscripts are of high quality, original, and meet the standards of the journal. Reviewers also provide recommendations on whether to accept or reject manuscripts.

6.10. Advisory Board

The Advisory Board consists of individuals who provide guidance and advice to the Chief Editor and Editors on the strategic direction of the journal. They may also assist with identifying new areas of research, identifying suitable reviewers, and providing feedback on the journal's operations.

6.11. Production Team

The Production Team is responsible for managing the technical aspects of the journal's publication, including formatting and layout, proofreading, and ensuring that the journal is published on schedule.

6.12. Marketing and Outreach Team

The Marketing and Outreach Team is responsible for promoting the journal among the academic community and the general public, managing the journal's social media accounts, and organizing events to promote the journal.

6.13. Technical Support Team

The Technical Support Team is responsible for maintaining the journal's website, ensuring that it is up-to-date and accessible to readers, and providing technical support to authors and readers as needed.

7. Appointment for Research Journal team

The journal's patron is responsible for the appointment of the journal's Chief Editor, and the Editor and Chief Editor will be responsible for the appointment of the journal team.

8. Frequency of journal

Suffa University Journal of Business Management is a biannual research journal. It publishes two issues per year.

9. Manuscript Submission Guidelines

9.1. Manuscript Formatting & Submission

Authors must upload a manuscript that does not contain any identifying information, such as author names, institutional details, or any other information that may reveal the author’s identity.
The title page must be submitted separately and include the author’s names, affiliations, designations, acknowledgments, conflict of interest disclosures, and a summary of each author's contributions.
The Author Declaration Form must also be submitted separately and can be downloaded from the journal's website.
Manuscripts should be between 3,000 and 7,000 words, excluding references.
The manuscript must be typed in MS Word format on letter-size paper.
Abstracts should be 150 to 250 words and follow the journal’s template available on the website.
Articles must follow the APA referencing style and be formatted according to journal guidelines.
A maximum of five contributors will be allowed per article.
The manuscript must be submitted using the research journal paper template available on the journal website.
A minimum of 20 recent research papers from well-reputed research journals must be cited.

9.2. Figures, Tables & Language

Original drawings should be in a print-ready format according to the journal's paper template.
Tables and figures must be clear, readable, and appropriately labeled, with sources provided at the top.
Loanwords accepted in English usage should conform to standard dictionaries.

9.3. Plagiarism & Review Process

All submissions will be checked for plagiarism using Turnitin before being sent for peer review. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) allows a maximum similarity index of 19%, with 0% AI-generated content
Manuscripts will undergo an initial screening by the Managing Editor to ensure they align with the journal’s scope.
If approved, manuscripts will undergo a double-masked peer review process, with feedback shared with the corresponding author. If revisions are required, the corresponding author will have time to incorporate the suggested changes before resubmission.
The Editor/Editorial Board reserves the right to edit, request revisions, or reject any paper.
Once submitted for initial screening, manuscripts cannot be withdrawn unless permitted by the Editor/Editorial Board under special circumstances.

9.4. Authorship & Ethical Considerations

Authorship credit must be based on substantial contributions to the research, including:
1. Conceptualization, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation.
2. Drafting the article or making significant revisions.
3. Final approval of the manuscript before publication.
Technical staff and data professionals should be acknowledged rather than listed as authors.
Contributors who do not meet authorship criteria (e.g., financial supporters) must be listed in the "Acknowledgments"
Ghostwriting and guest authorship are considered scientific misconduct and are strictly prohibited.
Co-authors should collectively determine the author’s order.
The submitting author must provide complete contact details for all co-authors and notify them about the submission.
The Author Declaration Form, signed by the corresponding author, must accompany the manuscript submission.
Cases of scientific misconduct will be documented and reported to relevant institutions.

9.5. Publication & Copyright

Authors retain copyright for articles published in SUJBM journals.
SUJBM is not responsible for the subsequent use of the published work.

10. Peer review policy

Suffa University Journal of Business Management is a Double-Blind Peer Reviewed Research Journal. All articles submitted to the journal are sent to the reviewer without the details of the authors and their institution.

11. Subscription Details

The Suffa University Journal of Business Management can be subscribed to for a Print Copy by sending an email to us at editor.sujbm@dsu.edu.pk. Besides this, the online copy of the journal is freely available for open access at the website address. The subscription fee for a print copy is Rs 10,000/=

11.1. Sources of data and ideas

Authors are required to faithfully acknowledge and identify contributions of other persons to their reported work as well as clearly identify sources of both data and ideas. Authors should cite all publications that have been important in the development of the submitted study and that will guide the reader to the earlier researchers that are essential for understanding the present analysis.

Authors are required to make reasonable and diligent efforts to find and accurately cite sources and publications. They should only present as reliable, either personally verified or peer-reviewed sources of scientific data and literature.

Authors must not engage in plagiarism or self-plagiarism. Plagiarism is verbatim or near-verbatim copying, or paraphrasing without due modification, of text, data, or other material containing results of another person’s work without explicit identification of the source of such material. Similarly, self-plagiarism is replicating the author’s own previously published text or results without acknowledgment of the source. By exercising care in publishing only original research, editors of SUJBM are committed to deterring plagiarism and self-plagiarism. They may use special software to screen submitted manuscripts to ensure they are similar to previously published material. The manuscripts may be screened during the whole editorial cycle, including the submission process and until the final publication in online or print form.

11.2. Duplicate publications

Authors are prohibited from submitting manuscripts describing essentially the same research to more than one journal of primary publication unless it is a resubmission of a manuscript rejected for or withdrawn from publication. Authors are required to organize their papers so that they provide a well-rounded description of the examined issue. Fragmentation of research reports excessively consumes journal space and unduly complicates literature research; therefore, authors are expected to avoid it whenever possible.

11.3. Open Access Policy

SUJBM provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. The authors retain copyright for articles published in SUJBM journals. SUJBM is not responsible for the subsequent use of the work. It is the author’s responsibility to bring an infringement action if the author desires it. All articles published in SUJBM can be deposited in public and institutional repositories such as Research Gate, university libraries, personal websites etc.

11.4. Privacy Statement

The names and email addresses entered on our site will be used exclusively for the purposes stated of our journal. They will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.

11.5. Content license

SUJBM applies the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This license allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as attribution is given to the creator. The license allows for commercial use.

12. Deadlines of all processes

The authors can submit their research papers throughout the year. There is no submission deadline.

13. Reviewing and Editing

SUJBM is a double-masked peer-reviewed journal. Submitted papers and short communications are evaluated by independent referees/reviewers and Editorial Board members specialized in the article field. Two independent Reviewers evaluate the submitted material’s scientific significance and novelty, define its accordance with the general journal profile, and scrutinize its content for compliance with the journal’s publication ethics. After the refereeing process is complete, the paper may be rejected, returned to the author for revisions, or accepted for publication.

The authors are responsible for the contents of their paper or short communication. Editors may request an author to elaborate on the content or technical details of the paper when considered necessary. Scientific editing might change the format and correct the writing to make it compliant with the journal's editorial policy.

Pictures and graphs are special subject to editorial consideration, as their quantity should be optimal and only necessary in the content of papers. Pictures, graphs and textual content alike are subject to ethical standards concerning authorship and integrity. Additionally, whenever images are included in accounts of research processes, results or data collection, the author must provide an accurate description of how the images originated.

14. Acceptance of articles and publication of articles

The acceptance of the article is based on the decision of the journal's editor. The editor makes decisions based on the review report received from the reviewer.
The Publication of the article is based on the decision of the journal's Chief Editor. The chief editor makes decisions based on the editor's recommendations.

15. Timelines of publication of issues

The Journal releases two issues per year. The first issue is released on the 30th of June of every year, and the Second issue is released on the 31^st of every December. The Journal takes at least one month/ 4 weeks to complete the review process after the date of submission. The Journal publishes all research articles in the next issue, which are being received less than 4 weeks before the release of the current issue.

16. Steps involved from the date of receipt of the research article till the publication of the article

Authors are required to submit a complete manuscript without any details of the authors and their institutions. Additionally, a separate title page containing the authors' details, affiliations, and an Author Agreement Form must be submitted.
The Managing Editor will initially screen the research article, check for plagiarism, and conduct a desk review.
The Editor will make an initial decision during the editorial board meeting.
The Editor will assign two reviewers from the same discipline to each article, as nominated by the editorial board in the meeting, for further processing. The article will be sent to the reviewers without the authors' details and affiliations for an external double-masked peer review.
After receiving the review from external reviewers, the Section Editor will return the manuscript to the authors for incorporating the suggested changes.
The Section Editor will ensure that the authors have implemented the changes suggested by the reviewers.
The Section Editor will forward the article for copy editing.
The Copy Editor will proofread the article, check for plagiarism, and format each article according to the journal’s research paper template.
The Copy Editor will submit the article to the Editor for a decision on its acceptance.
The Editor will present all finalized articles to the editorial board for final acceptance.
Based on the decision made in the editorial board meeting, the Editor will forward the article to the Chief Editor for publication approval.
After receiving publication approval, the Managing Editor will publish the final copy of each article on the research journal's website and send the complete issue for printing.

17. Article processing and publication fee

The Journal does not charge any fee for article submission or article processing for online publication.

18. Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Conflict of interest is a situation in which the process of research and publication may be corrupted, or its results may be biased because of some other interests of its participants. It may concern any one or more of the participants of the research and publication process – the author, the reviewer, or the editor. Conflicts of interest may occur for financial (e.g., Employment opportunities, fees or other compensation arrangements, beneficial ownership of stock) or other reasons (e.g., personal relationships, the pursuit of academic career, intellectual passion, political involvement etc.) that can reasonably be expected to influence motivations or results of actions of participants of the publication process.

Conflicts of interest constitute a serious threat to the integrity and objectivity of both scientific research and publishing. Therefore, the best practice for authors, reviewers, and editors alike is to avoid conflicts of interest whenever possible.

All participants in the publication process who are in a situation of a conflict of interest must disclose this fact. Of special importance is that if the original research study reported in the manuscript or the preparation of the manuscript was supported by one or more grants, the title and number of the grant(s) and the name of the institution(s) that provided the grants or financial support to conduct, analyze or write-up the study, must be specified in the manuscript.

Editors of SUJBM may use information disclosed in conflict-of-interest and financial-support statements as a basis for editorial decisions. The corresponding author must notify the editor at the time of submission that there is no conflict of interest to declare or fairly and effectively communicate all conflicts of interest, which will then be acknowledged in the published article.