Journal of Business Strategy and Sustainability (JBSS) is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal dedicated to advancing theoretical and empirical research at the intersection of strategic management and sustainability. The journal seeks to deepen understanding of how organizations design, implement, and evaluate strategies that generate sustained competitive advantage while addressing economic, social, and environmental responsibilities. JBSS publishes high-quality research that examines strategic decision-making processes, governance structures, innovation systems, and organizational capabilities that enable long-term value creation. The journal recognizes that contemporary strategic challenges increasingly involve sustainability imperatives, stakeholder pressures, regulatory dynamics, and global market complexities. Accordingly, it encourages rigorous investigations into how firms integrate sustainability considerations into core strategic frameworks rather than treating them as peripheral initiatives.

The journal welcomes contributions from diverse geographical contexts and organizational scales, including large corporations, multinational enterprises, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Particular attention is given to research that explores resilience, adaptability, and strategic transformation in emerging and developed economies alike. JBSS accepts conceptual, empirical, and methodological contributions employing quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, and theoretical approaches. Submissions must demonstrate clear theoretical grounding, methodological rigor, and meaningful implications for strategic management scholarship and practice.

Topics: 

The Journal of Business Strategy and Sustainability focuses on research that contributes to the advancement of strategy theory and practice in relation to long-term organizational viability and responsible value creation. Manuscripts should clearly situate their contribution within strategic management literature while addressing sustainability challenges and competitive dynamics. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to:

• Sustainable competitive advantage
• Corporate and business-level strategy
• Dynamic capabilities 
• Digital transformation
• Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) in corporate strategy
• Entrepreneurship
• Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
• Sustainable business models
• Circular economy 
• Climate risk and strategic adaptation
• Stakeholder value and performance
• Innovation strategy and sustainable innovation
• Strategic reconfiguration
• Technology adoption and competitive positioning
• Business model innovation
• Strategic growth and resilience in SMEs
• Sustainability practices in small and medium-sized enterprises
• Entrepreneurial strategy in emerging markets
• Institutional and policy influences on SME competitiveness
• Strategic performance measurement systems
• Long-term value creation metrics
• firm performance
• Strategic decision-making
• Competitiveness
• Institutional theory and sustainability strategy
• Leadership
• Marketing strategy
• Consumer behavior and market strategy
• Business strategy and environment

 

Journal Peer Review Process

Journal of Business Strategy and Sustainability peer review process are the following: 

1. Manuscript Submission
   Authors submit manuscripts via the JBSS online system and receive an acknowledgement with a unique manuscript ID. At submission, all manuscripts must comply with JBSS Author Guidelines for structure, formatting, and referencing style, and authors must confirm the work is original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere.
   
   

2. Submission Requirements and Compliance Verification
   The editorial office verifies that author and manuscript metadata are complete, including full names, affiliations, emails, title, abstract, keywords, and recommended ORCID, as well as funding information (if any) and a conflict-of-interest statement. The office also checks that references are accurate and complete, including DOIs/URLs where available, and that all tables and figures are properly numbered, titled, cited in-text, and permissions are secured for any third-party material.

3. Similarity and Integrity Screening
   JBSS conducts a plagiarism/similarity screening and requires a similarity index of ≤ 15%, with improper copying and excessive overlap from any single source not permitted even if the overall percentage is low. Manuscripts that fail integrity checks may be desk rejected or returned for clarification where appropriate.

4. Initial Editorial Screening (Section Editor)
   The Section Editor evaluates alignment with JBSS aims and scope, assesses the manuscript’s novelty and scholarly contribution, and checks whether the theoretical framing and research design meet minimum standards for peer review. Submissions that are out of scope, methodologically weak, or noncompliant with core requirements may be desk rejected at this stage.

5. Assignment to Handling Editor
   Manuscripts suitable for review are assigned to a Handling Editor based on topic and methodological fit. The Handling Editor confirms absence of conflicts of interest, ensures anonymization for double-blind review, and identifies appropriate reviewers with relevant expertise.

6. Double-Blind Peer Review (Minimum Two Reviewers)
   The Handling Editor invites at least two external reviewers and administers a double-blind process in which both author and reviewer identities are concealed. Reviewers assess the rigor of theory and methods, validity of analyses, coherence of argumentation, contribution to strategy and sustainability scholarship, and the strength of managerial and policy implications.

7. Reviewer Recommendations
   Reviewers provide detailed reports and recommend one of four outcomes: accept, minor revision, major revision, or reject. Feedback is expected to be evidence-based and constructive, highlighting critical flaws, required improvements, and optional enhancements.

8. Editorial Evaluation and Decision
   The Handling Editor synthesizes reviewer reports, resolves discrepancies through editorial judgment, and issues a decision letter with a prioritized revision roadmap. Decisions are based on contribution, rigor, integrity, and journal fit, with clear expectations for revision and documentation.

9. Author Revision and Response
   Authors submit a revised manuscript along with a point-by-point response letter explaining how each reviewer and editor comment was addressed, with precise references to revised sections. Revisions must directly resolve mandatory issues and provide reasoned justification for any recommendations not adopted.

10. Editorial Check and/or Re-Review
    Minor revisions may be verified by the Handling Editor without returning to reviewers, while major revisions are commonly re-sent to reviewers to confirm that substantive concerns have been adequately resolved. Additional rounds may proceed until the manuscript meets JBSS standards or is rejected.

11. Final Decision (Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board)
    The Editor-in-Chief, supported by the editorial team as needed, makes the final decision based on reviewer input and editorial assessment of quality, originality, and compliance. The final decision prioritizes methodological credibility, ethical integrity, and a clear contribution to business strategy and sustainability.

12. Copyediting, Production, and Publication
    Accepted manuscripts undergo copyediting for clarity and consistency, followed by layout/typesetting and final metadata checks, including references and DOI/URL completeness where available. Authors review proofs for typographical and formatting corrections, after which the article is formally published with disclosed dates (received, revised, accepted, published) and integrated into the journal’s publication record.