Submissions

Author Guidelines

Instructions for Author

Thank you for choosing to submit your paper to the Journal of Business Strategy and Sustainability (JBSS). These instructions are intended to ensure that your manuscript includes all required elements and adheres to the journal’s formatting and editorial standards. Careful attention to these guidelines will help facilitate a smooth progression of your submission through peer review, production, and publication. We encourage authors to read these requirements thoroughly before submitting, as manuscripts that do not comply may be returned for technical revision prior to review. 

We offer a range of professional services to support authors in preparing their manuscripts, enhancing the quality of submissions, and increasing the visibility of published articles. These services include language editing, manuscript preparation, and post-publication promotion. General guidance on each stage of the publication process, including submission policies and editorial procedures, is available on our Author Services website.

About the Journal

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.

Open Access

You have the option to publish your article as open access Journal of Business Strategy and Sustainability (JBSS)  through our Open Access Publishing Program. Publishing open access means that your article will be freely and permanently accessible online immediately upon publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and overall impact of your research. Open access articles typically receive higher downloads and citation rates compared to subscription-based publications, enabling your work to reach a broader global audience.
Authors choosing open access will be required to pay an Article Processing Charge (APC) to cover publication costs. In many cases, this fee may be supported by the author’s institution or research funder. Only the corresponding author is eligible to request institutional funding support, and changes to the corresponding author after submission for funding eligibility purposes are not permitted. For detailed information regarding open access policies, APC rates, and funding options, please visit our Author Services webpage.

Peer Review Process and Ethics

Journal of Business Strategy and Sustainability (JBSS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of peer-review integrity, transparency, and academic excellence. Once a manuscript has been evaluated for scope, originality, and technical suitability by the Editor, it will proceed to a single-anonymous peer review process. Each submission will be reviewed by at least two independent expert reviewers, who will remain anonymous throughout the review process. Reviewers will provide detailed evaluation reports to support the editorial decision-making process and ensure the quality and rigor of published research.

If authors have previously shared a version of their Author’s Original Manuscript on a preprint server, anonymity during peer review cannot be fully guaranteed. Authors are encouraged to review JBSS’s Preprint Policy and citation requirements prior to submission. Further information regarding the peer review process, ethical standards, and editorial procedures can be found in our Peer Review Process and Author Guidelines.

Preparing Your Paper

Structure

Your paper should be compiled in the following order: title page; abstract (approx. 200 words); keywords; main text introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion; acknowledgments; declaration of interest statement; references; appendices (as appropriate); table(s) with caption(s) (on individual pages); figures; figure captions (as a list).

Word Limit

Manuscripts submitted to the   Journal of Business Strategy and Sustainability (JBSS) should normally be between 6,000 and 8,500 words, including references, tables, and appendices. This word limit ensures sufficient depth of analysis while maintaining clarity and focus. Submissions that significantly exceed the maximum word count may be returned to authors for reduction prior to peer review. Shorter manuscripts will be considered only if the research contribution is substantial and clearly articulated.
Authors are encouraged to present their work concisely, ensuring that arguments are well-structured and supported by relevant literature and empirical evidence.

Image Description

Journal of Business Strategy and Sustainability (JBSS) includes image descriptions (alternative text or “alt text”) for all figures and visual materials that are essential to understanding the article. Alt text supports accessibility for readers using screen readers and improves the discoverability of published research. JBSS may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to generate image descriptions, and authors will have the opportunity to review and revise them during the proofing stage. Authors are encouraged to provide clear and concise image descriptions upon submission.

Format-Free Submission

Authors may submit their manuscript in any standard scholarly format or layout at the initial submission stage. There are no strict formatting requirements prior to peer review. Manuscripts may be submitted as a single file or multiple files and may be prepared in Word (.doc/.docx), rich text format (RTF), open document format (ODT), PDF, or LaTeX. Figures and tables may be embedded within the text or uploaded as separate files. All figures must be of sufficient clarity and resolution to enable proper peer review.
Although formatting is flexible at submission, all manuscripts must contain the essential elements necessary for evaluation, including: title, abstract, author affiliation(s), main text, figures and tables (where applicable), funding information (if any), and references. References may follow any consistent academic citation style at submission; however, all in-text citations must correspond to full reference entries. For manuscripts prepared in LaTeX, a .bib reference file must be included. The official JBSS reference style will be applied to the manuscript upon acceptance. Authors may use either US or UK English, provided consistency is maintained throughout the manuscript. Regardless of the format used at submission, an editable version of the manuscript must be provided at the revision stage.

JBSS Services

To support authors in preparing high-quality manuscripts for submission, the  Journal of Business Strategy and Sustainability (JBSS) offers a range of professional editorial and publication support services. These services are designed to enhance the clarity, presentation, and overall impact of your research prior to submission and publication.
Authors may choose from services such as English Language Editing to improve grammar, clarity, and academic tone; Translation Services for manuscripts prepared in non-English languages; and Artwork Preparation to ensure that figures, charts, and graphical materials meet publication standards. JBSS Author Services also provides support for research promotion materials, including infographics, graphical abstracts, video abstracts, and lay summaries to increase the visibility and outreach of published articles. For further details regarding available services and pricing, please visit our Author Services webpage.

Submission Checklist

1. Author details. Please ensure all listed authors meet the  Journal of Business Strategy and Sustainability (JBSS)  authorship criteria. All authors of a manuscript must include their full name and institutional affiliation on the cover page of the manuscript. Where available, please also include ORCID iDs and professional social media handles (e.g., LinkedIn). One author must be identified as the corresponding author, and their email address will normally be displayed in the article PDF and online version. Authors’ affiliations should reflect the institution where the research was conducted. If any named co-author changes affiliation during the peer-review process, the new affiliation may be provided as a footnote. Please note that no changes to affiliation can be made after the manuscript has been accepted.
2. CRediT Roles. This journal supports the use of CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) to promote transparency in author contributions. Submitting authors must provide CRediT role statements for themselves and their co-authors during the submission process. When supplied, these contribution statements will be published alongside the article.
3. Abstract. The manuscript must include an unstructured abstract of approximately 200 words. The abstract should clearly summarize the purpose of the study, methodology, key findings, and main implications. It should be written in a concise and informative manner. Example: Abstract (Approximately 200 words)
   The rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots in e-commerce has transformed customer service interactions, yet understanding of how these automated agents influence customer engagement and purchase intention remains limited. This study examines the relationship between chatbot interaction quality, customer engagement, trust, and purchase intention within online retail environments. Drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), we developed a conceptual model testing the mediating role of trust and engagement. Data were collected through an online survey of 456 e-commerce users who had recently interacted with customer service chatbots. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. The results indicate that perceived chatbot quality (intelligence, empathy, and responsiveness) significantly enhances customer engagement. Furthermore, customer engagement positively influences trust, which in turn acts as a critical mediator driving purchase intention. Interestingly, prior experience with AI moderated the relationship between chatbot quality and engagement. These findings offer theoretical contributions by extending the S-O-R framework to AI-mediated commerce and provide practical implications for digital marketers aiming to optimize chatbot deployment for enhanced customer relationship management and sales performance.
4. Keywords. Authors must provide between 3 and 5 keywords that accurately reflect the main topics of the manuscript to improve indexing and discoverability.
5. Graphical Abstract (optional). Authors may submit a graphical abstract to visually summarize the core contribution of the article. The image should have a maximum width of 525 pixels. If narrower than 525 pixels, it should be placed on a white background of 525 pixels width to maintain proper dimensions. The file must be saved separately (not embedded in the manuscript) as a .jpg, .png, or .tiff file and labeled “GraphicalAbstract1.”
6. Video Abstract (optional). Authors may choose to submit a short video abstract to enhance engagement and broaden the reach of their research. Guidance on preparing and submitting video abstracts is available on the JBSS Author Services page.
7. Funding details. Authors must provide full details of all funding sources.For single agency grants:
   “This work was supported by the [Funding Agency] under Grant [number xxxx].”
   For multiple agency grants:
   “This work was supported by the [Funding Agency #1] under Grant [number xxxx]; [Funding Agency #2] under Grant [number xxxx].”
8. Disclosure statement. Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could have influenced the research. If there are no competing interests, please state: “The authors report no competing interests.”
9. Data availability statement. If the manuscript is associated with research data, authors must provide information on where the data supporting the findings can be accessed, including a DOI, hyperlink, or other persistent identifier where applicable.
10. Data deposition. Authors are encouraged to deposit research data in a recognized repository prior to or at the time of submission. The DOI or other persistent identifier for the dataset must be provided in the manuscript.
11. Supplemental online material (optional). Authors may submit supplementary materials such as datasets, extended tables, infographics, video summaries, or additional documentation that supports the manuscript. Supplementary materials will be published online alongside the article.
12. Figures. Figures must be of high quality and suitable for publication (1200 dpi for line art, 600 dpi for grayscale, and 300 dpi for color). Acceptable formats include PS, JPEG, TIFF, or editable Word files for figures created in Word.
13. Tables. Tables should present original information and must not duplicate content already described in the text. Tables must be supplied in an editable format and should be understandable without reference to the main text.
14. Equations. Mathematical equations must be editable if the manuscript is submitted in Word format.
15. Units. All measurements must be reported using SI units (non-italicized) and used consistently throughout the manuscript.

Using Third Party Materials

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce any third-party material included in their manuscript. Limited use of short text excerpts or certain materials for purposes such as criticism or review may be permitted without formal permission. However, if the manuscript contains material for which the author does not hold copyright and which is not covered under fair use or similar provisions, written permission from the copyright holder must be secured prior to submission. Documentation of permission may be requested during the review or production process.

Submitting Your Paper

JBSS uses an online submission system to manage the peer-review and editorial process. Authors must submit their manuscripts through the official JBSS Submission Portal. The system allows authors to track the progress of their manuscript throughout review and editorial decision stages.
Please note that JBSS uses plagiarism-detection software (Crossref Similarity Check) to screen submissions for unoriginal material. By submitting your manuscript, you agree to originality screening during peer review and production. Upon acceptance, authors are advised to retain a copy of their Accepted Manuscript for record-keeping and permitted sharing purposes.

Alt Text Policy

JBSS includes Alt Text (alternative text) for figures and visual materials published online. Alt Text is a short descriptive statement attached to images to ensure accessibility for readers using screen readers or assistive technologies. It also appears in place of images if the file cannot be displayed and improves search engine indexing.
Authors are encouraged to provide clear and concise Alt Text descriptions during submission in accordance with 

JBSS includes Alt Text (alternative text) for figures and visual materials published online. Alt Text is a short descriptive statement attached to images to ensure accessibility for readers using screen readers or assistive technologies. It also appears in place of images if the file cannot be displayed and improves search engine indexing.
Authors are encouraged to provide clear and concise Alt Text descriptions during submission in accordance with JBSS guidelines.

Data Sharing Policy

JBSS applies a Basic Data Sharing Policy. Authors are encouraged to share or make publicly available the data supporting the results or analyses presented in their manuscript, provided this does not violate privacy, confidentiality, or ethical obligations. Where possible, authors should deposit datasets in a recognized data repository that provides a persistent digital identifier, preferably a DOI, and supports long-term preservation. Authors are encouraged to cite deposited datasets within the article and include a Data Availability Statement.
During submission, authors will be asked whether a dataset is associated with the manuscript. If applicable, authors must provide the DOI, pre-registered DOI, hyperlink, or other persistent identifier. Where datasets are shared, these are not formally peer-reviewed as part of the journal submission process. Authors are solely responsible for the accuracy and integrity of their data.

Publication Charge

The JBSS applies a publication fee of USD 100 per accepted manuscript, payable only after successful completion of the peer-review process and formal acceptance; there are no submission fees. This charge covers editorial management, peer review administration, copyediting, typesetting, online publication, indexing preparation, and long-term digital archiving of the article, and all figures will appear in color in the online version at no additional cost.

Copyright Option

Copyright protects your original work and prevents unauthorized use. Upon acceptance, authors will be required to sign a publishing agreement. JBSS offers licensing options, including Creative Commons licenses for open access publication where applicable. Full details regarding copyright and licensing options are available in our Publishing Agreement guidelines.

My Authored Works

After publication, authors will be able to access their article metrics, including downloads, citations, and engagement data, through the JBSS Author Dashboard. Authors may also receive a free e-print link to share their article with colleagues and networks.
JBSS is committed to promoting published research and increasing its visibility. Authors are encouraged to collaborate in dissemination efforts, including sharing through academic networks, institutional repositories (where permitted), professional platforms, and social media.

Appendix

The  Journal of Business Strategy and Sustainability (JBSS) follows APA 7th Edition citation style. Authors must ensure all in-text citations correspond to full reference entries. References should be listed alphabetically by author surname.

General Formatting Rules:

• Alphabetize references by author surname
• Use hanging indent (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented)
• Italicize titles of books, journals, and reports
• Use sentence case for article and book titles
• Include DOI whenever available
• For 1-20 authors, list all authors; for 21+, list first 19, then "...", then last author
• Use "&" before final author in reference list

Journal Article

Journal article with DOI (preferred):
Johnson, M. T., & Williams, K. R. (2023). Artificial intelligence in digital marketing: Consumer perceptions and brand trust. Journal of Marketing and Emerging Technologies, 8(2), 145-167. https://doi.org/10.1234/jmet.2023.5678

Journal article without DOI:
Chen, L., Rodriguez, E., & Patel, S. (2022). Consumer adoption of voice-activated shopping assistants. Marketing Science Quarterly, 45(3), 234-256.

Article with 3-20 authors:
Smith, A., Brown, B., Davis, C., Evans, D., Foster, E., Green, F., Harris, G., & Irving, H. (2024). Blockchain technology and consumer privacy concerns. Digital Marketing Review, 12(1), 89-112. https://doi.org/10.5678/dmr.2024.1234

Article with 21+ authors:
Anderson, A., Baker, B., Clark, C., Douglas, D., Edwards, E., Franklin, F., Garcia, G., Hamilton, H., Ives, I., Jackson, J., King, K., Lewis, L., Martin, M., Nelson, N., Owens, O., Parker, P., Quinn, Q., Roberts, R., Stevens, S., ... Zhang, Z. (2023). Large-scale consumer behavior analysis. Marketing Analytics Journal, 15(4), 567-598. https://doi.org/10.9012/maj.2023.4567

Early view/in press article:
Thompson, R., & Martinez, A. (in press). Virtual reality shopping experiences and purchase intention. Journal of Consumer Research.

Special issue article:
Kumar, V. (2023). Marketing automation technologies: A systematic review. Journal of Marketing Technology, 6(Special Issue: AI in Marketing), 45-78. https://doi.org/10.3456/jmt.2023.si.45

Books

Authored book:
Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2022). Marketing management (16th ed.). Pearson Education.

Edited book:
Hoffman, D. L., & Novak, T. P. (Eds.). (2023). Handbook of digital marketing and social media. Routledge.

Book with multiple editions:
Chaffey, D., & Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2023). Digital marketing: Strategy, implementation and practice (8th ed.). Pearson.

E-book with DOI:
Ryan, D. (2021). Understanding digital marketing: Marketing strategies for engaging the digital generation (5th ed.). Kogan Page. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003081616

E-book without DOI (with URL):
Strauss, J., & Frost, R. (2020). E-marketing (8th ed.). Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/E-Marketing/Strauss-Frost/p/book/9780367321567

Book with organizational author:
American Marketing Association. (2023). Marketing definitions and standards. AMA Press.

Book Chapter

Chapter in edited book:
Lamberton, C., & Stephen, A. T. (2023). Digital consumer behavior. In D. L. Hoffman & T. P. Novak (Eds.), Handbook of digital marketing and social media (pp. 234-267). Routledge.

Chapter with DOI:
Kumar, V., & Reinartz, W. (2022). Customer relationship management in the digital age. In P. N. Golder & D. Mitra (Eds.), Handbook of research on new product development (pp. 456-489). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781788976428.00031

Conference Paper

Published conference proceedings:
Zhang, Y., & Wang, H. (2023, June 15-17). Chatbot effectiveness in customer service: An experimental study. In Proceedings of the 2023 International Conference on Marketing and Technology (pp. 123-145). ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3580123.3580456

Conference presentation (unpublished):
Lee, S. J. (2024, March 20). Consumer trust in AI-powered recommendation systems [Conference presentation]. Annual Conference of the Academy of Marketing Science, New Orleans, LA, United States.

Conference poster:
Nguyen, T., & Kim, J. (2023, May). The impact of augmented reality on online shopping behavior [Poster presentation]. Consumer Behavior Conference, London, United Kingdom.

Dissertation or Thesis

Published dissertation (from database):

Williams, A. B. (2022). The role of personalization in mobile marketing effectiveness [Doctoral dissertation, Stanford University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2612345678

Unpublished dissertation:
Garcia, M. (2023). Consumer responses to influencer marketing on social media platforms [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of California, Los Angeles.

Master's thesis:
Anderson, K. L. (2023). Digital natives and brand loyalty in e-commerce [Master's thesis, Northwestern University]. Northwestern University Library Digital Collections. https://digitalcollections.northwestern.edu/items/abc123

Online Sources and Websites

Webpage with author and date:
Smith, J. (2024, January 15). The future of marketing technology: Trends for 2024. Marketing Tech Insights. https://www.marketingtechinsights.com/future-trends-2024

Webpage with organizational author:
Nielsen. (2023, September 10). Consumer trust in online advertising reaches all-time high. https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2023/consumer-trust-online-advertising/

Webpage without author:
Marketing automation platforms comparison. (2024, February 5). Marketing Software Review. https://www.marketingsoftwarereview.com/automation-comparison

Webpage without date:
Digital Marketing Institute. (n.d.). What is digital marketing? https://www.digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/what-is-digital-marketing

Website as a whole:
HubSpot. (n.d.). Marketing statistics and trends. Retrieved March 15, 2024, from https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics

For additional examples or clarification, consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.) or visit the official APA Style website at https://apastyle.apa.org/