Peer Review Policy

Overview

The International Journal of Advanced and Innovative Research (IJAIR) is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of academic excellence through a rigorous, impartial, and ethically guided peer review process. Every manuscript submitted is evaluated for originality, methodological rigor, practical relevance, and contribution to the fields of business, management, finance, and related disciplines. The peer review system is fundamental to preserving the journal's integrity and scholarly impact.

Review Model: Double-Blind Peer Review

To ensure fairness and eliminate potential biases, IJAIR employs a double-blind peer review system:

  • Author Anonymity: Reviewers do not have access to author identities or affiliations.

  • Reviewer Anonymity: Authors are not informed of reviewer identities.

This ensures that manuscripts are assessed solely on academic merit.

Peer Review Workflow

1. Initial Editorial Screening

  • Manuscripts are submitted via the IJAIR online submission system.

  • The editorial team conducts a preliminary review to ensure:

    • Alignment with journal scope

    • Compliance with formatting and ethical standards

    • Baseline academic quality

  • Submissions that do not meet these criteria may be desk-rejected without external review.

2. Reviewer Assignment

  • Manuscripts passing the initial screening are assigned to at least two independent experts with relevant subject expertise.

  • Reviewers are chosen based on qualifications, research experience, and absence of conflicts of interest.

3. Evaluation Process

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on:

  • Originality and clarity

  • Theoretical grounding and methodological soundness

  • Contribution to practice and scholarly relevance

Reviewer recommendations fall into four categories:

  1. Accept without revision

  2. Accept with minor revisions

  3. Major revisions and resubmission required

  4. Reject

4. Editorial Decision

  • The editorial team reviews all reports and makes a final decision.

  • For revise-and-resubmit decisions, authors respond to reviewer comments and submit revised manuscripts within the specified timeframe.

  • Revised manuscripts may be re-evaluated by the same or additional reviewers.

  • Authors are informed of the final decision along with detailed reviewer feedback.

Timelines

  • Standard peer review duration: 4 to 6 weeks, depending on submission complexity and reviewer availability.

  • IJAIR strives to expedite the process while maintaining review quality.

Reviewer Ethics and Responsibilities

Reviewer Selection

  • Reviewers are selected based on expertise in business, management, economics, finance, and related disciplines.

  • Diversity, objectivity, and academic rigor are prioritized.

Confidentiality

  • All manuscripts under review are confidential.

  • Reviewers must not share, discuss, or reproduce content without explicit permission from the editorial office.

Integrity and Professionalism

  • Reviews must be balanced, constructive, and respectful.

  • Conflicts of interest must be disclosed immediately.

  • Reviewers must recuse themselves if impartiality cannot be guaranteed.

Appeals Process

  • Authors who believe their manuscript was unjustly rejected may submit a formal appeal to the editorial office.

  • Appeals must include:

    • A detailed rationale for the appeal

    • Responses to reviewer concerns (if applicable)

  • Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or an independent expert.

  • The editorial decision following the appeal is final.

Commitment to Publication Ethics

IJAIR follows COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines to ensure ethical conduct at all stages of peer review. Editors, reviewers, and authors are expected to maintain integrity, confidentiality, and professionalism.

Reviewer Recognition

To acknowledge the vital role of peer reviewers:

  • An annual list of reviewers is published on the journal website (with consent).

  • Certificates of appreciation are issued upon request.

Conclusion

The peer review process is central to IJAIR’s mission of publishing high-impact, high-quality research. Transparent and ethically robust review practices ensure that only meaningful and well-founded contributions are disseminated to the academic and professional community.