Peer Review Policy

Overview

The International Journal of Business, Management & Financial Insight (IJBMFI) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic excellence through a rigorous, impartial, and ethically guided peer review process. Every manuscript submitted is evaluated for its 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, IJBMFI operates a double-blind peer review system:

  • Author Anonymity: Reviewers are not given access to the identities or affiliations of the authors.

  • Reviewer Anonymity: Authors are not informed of the identities of the reviewers.

This model guarantees that submissions are assessed solely on academic merit.

Peer Review Workflow

1. Initial Editorial Screening

  • Manuscripts are submitted via the IJBMFI online submission system.

  • The editorial team conducts a preliminary check to confirm scope alignment, formatting compliance, ethical standards, and baseline academic quality.

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

2. Reviewer Assignment

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

  • Reviewers are selected based on qualifications, research background, and absence of conflicts of interest.

3. Evaluation Process

  • Reviewers assess manuscripts based on originality, clarity, theoretical grounding, methodological soundness, contribution to practice, and scholarly relevance.

  • Recommendations fall into the following categories:

    • Accept without revision

    • Accept with minor revisions

    • Major revisions and resubmission required

    • Reject

4. Editorial Decision

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

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

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

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

Timelines

  • The standard peer review timeline is 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the complexity of the submission and reviewer availability.

  • The journal endeavors to expedite the process while maintaining quality.

Reviewer Ethics and Responsibilities

Reviewer Selection

  • Reviewers are selected based on expertise in relevant domains of business, economics, management, and finance.

  • Diversity and objectivity are key criteria in reviewer recruitment.

Confidentiality

  • Manuscripts under review are confidential and must not be shared or discussed without explicit permission from the editorial office.

Integrity and Professionalism

  • Reviewers are expected to provide balanced, constructive, and respectful evaluations.

  • Any potential conflict of interest must be disclosed immediately.

  • Reviewers must recuse themselves from reviewing if impartiality cannot be guaranteed.

Appeals Process

Authors who believe their manuscript was unjustly rejected may submit a formal appeal to the editorial office. The appeal must include:

  • A detailed rationale for the appeal

  • Responses to reviewer concerns (where applicable)

Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and/or an independent expert. The editorial decision following the appeal is final.

Commitment to Publication Ethics

IJBMFI follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines to ensure ethical conduct at all stages of the review process. All stakeholders—editors, reviewers, and authors—are expected to maintain integrity, confidentiality, and academic professionalism.

Reviewer Recognition

IJBMFI values the vital role of peer reviewers in upholding scholarly standards. To acknowledge their contributions:

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

  • Certificates of appreciation are issued upon request.

Conclusion

The peer review process is central to IJBMFI’s mission of publishing high-impact, high-quality research. By adhering to transparent and ethically robust review practices, the journal ensures that only well-founded, meaningful contributions are disseminated to the academic and professional community.