Editorial Policies

  • 1. About the Journal

    The Global Journal of Business and Economic Innovations (GJBEI) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal established by the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, Hormuud University. GJBEI publishes original, rigorous research at the intersection of business practice, economic theory, and innovation, with particular emphasis on developing economies while remaining of interest to a global academic readership. The journal follows international best practice in scholarly publishing, and adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Code of Conduct.

    2. Aims and Scope

    GJBEI is a specialized journal focused on business and economics. It welcomes theoretical, empirical, applied, and review contributions that make a clear, demonstrable contribution to knowledge or practice. Indicative, not exhaustive, subject areas include:

    Economics: macroeconomics, microeconomics, development economics, monetary economics, public finance, and economic policy

    Business Administration: strategic management, operations, organizational behavior, leadership, and entrepreneurship

    Finance and Banking: corporate finance, investment analysis, financial markets, Islamic banking and finance, fintech, and microfinance

    Accounting and Auditing: financial reporting, management accounting, auditing standards, forensic accounting, and taxation

    Marketing and Consumer Behavior: digital marketing, consumer psychology, brand management, and market research

    Logistics and Supply Chain Management: procurement, trade logistics, humanitarian supply chains, and port management

    Economic Innovation and Technology: digital transformation, business intelligence, e-commerce, and innovation ecosystems

    Sustainable Development and Green Economy: ESG frameworks, climate finance, circular economy, and sustainable business models

    Emerging Economies and Regional Studies: Somalia, East Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa economic dynamics

    Submissions are welcomed from authors worldwide. The journal particularly encourages research addressing challenges relevant to developing economies, fragile states, and post-conflict economic reconstruction, without restricting eligibility on the basis of author nationality, institutional affiliation, or geographic focus.

    3. Peer Review Process

    All research and review articles undergo double-blind peer review, under which both the author(s) and the reviewers remain anonymous throughout the review process, ensuring objectivity, impartiality, and academic integrity in all editorial decisions. Submissions are first screened by the Editor-in-Chief to assess suitability, scope compliance, and minimum quality standards. Manuscripts passing initial screening are assigned to a minimum of two independent expert reviewers drawn from the editorial board or the wider international reviewer pool, selected on the basis of expertise, absence of conflicts of interest, and geographic diversity. Reviewers recommend:

    Accept

    Minor Revision

    Major Revision

    or Reject.

    Revised manuscripts are re-reviewed by the original reviewers where applicable. The review process targets a first-decision turnaround of 6–8 weeks from initial submission. Reviewer and editor identities remain confidential; reviewer identity is withheld from authors. The Editor-in-Chief holds final authority on all acceptance decisions.

    4. Plagiarism and Text-Similarity Policy

    GJBEI is committed to publishing only original work and applies a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism, data fabrication, and duplicate publication, consistent with COPE guidance.

    4.1 Similarity Threshold

    Every manuscript is screened using a recognized plagiarism detection tool (e.g., Turnitin or iThenticate) prior to review. Similarity thresholds apply to the overall manuscript, excluding the reference list, properly quoted and attributed material, and mandatory boilerplate sections. Assessments are made by the Editor-in-Chief:

    Similarity 0%–15% (Acceptable): manuscript proceeds to peer review.

    Similarity 16%–25% (Minor Concern): author notified; revision required before the manuscript proceeds to review.

    Similarity 26%–40% (Major Concern): manuscript returned to the author for substantial revision.

    Similarity above 40% (Unacceptable): manuscript rejected outright; the author may resubmit only if the work is substantially rewritten.

    Self-plagiarism (excessive re-use of an author's own previously published text without citation) is treated under the same thresholds. Authors found to have committed plagiarism after publication are subject to the Correction and Retraction Policy (Section 8).

    5. Generative AI Policy

    5.1 Use by Authors

    Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (e.g., large language models such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Copilot) may be used only to improve the language, grammar, and readability of a manuscript, or to assist with code formatting. AI tools must not be used to generate original scientific content, data, results, analysis, or conclusions, and must not replace author judgment in interpreting findings. Any use of generative AI in manuscript preparation must be disclosed in a dedicated "Declaration of Generative AI Use" section placed immediately before the reference list, describing the tool and the specific purpose for which it was used. AI-generated or AI-assisted images, figures, or altered visual data are not permitted, except where explicitly approved by the editor for illustrative, non-data purposes. Authors remain fully responsible and accountable for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the entire manuscript, regardless of any AI assistance used.

    5.2 Authorship

    AI tools do not qualify for authorship. They cannot take responsibility for a submitted work, approve a final manuscript, or be held accountable for its integrity - criteria that authorship requires. AI tools may not be listed as an author or co-author, nor cited as an author.

    5.3 Use by Reviewers and Editors

    Reviewers and editors may not upload unpublished manuscripts, reviewer reports, or confidential editorial correspondence into public generative AI tools, since submitted content is confidential and such platforms may retain or expose entered data. Limited use of AI for language polishing of a reviewer's own report is permitted provided confidentiality is preserved and no manuscript content is entered into third-party systems.

    6. Authorship Criteria and Responsibilities

    Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the work; drafted or critically revised the manuscript; approved the final version; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. All listed authors must meet these criteria; individuals who contributed materially but do not meet authorship criteria should be named in the Acknowledgements. Authors must ensure that submitted work is original and has not been published elsewhere in any language, must disclose all funding sources and declare any conflicts of interest, and must obtain all necessary permissions for use of previously published material. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring all co-authors have approved the final submission and for managing communication with the journal.

    7. Research and Publication Ethics

    Studies involving human participants must include a statement of institutional/ethics review board approval and informed consent.

    Studies involving animals must confirm compliance with relevant institutional and national guidelines for humane treatment.

    Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal conflicts of interest that could influence the work.

    Data fabrication, falsification, image manipulation, duplicate submission, and undisclosed redundant publication are treated as serious misconduct.

    Reviewers must maintain strict confidentiality regarding manuscript content, must not use unpublished ideas for personal advantage, and must declare and recuse themselves from any conflicts of interest.

    Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely on academic merit, without discrimination based on nationality, gender, religion, or institutional affiliation, and editorial decisions must not be influenced by commercial or personal interests.

    The journal follows COPE flowcharts for investigating suspected misconduct at any stage, including after publication.

    8. Correction, Retraction, Withdrawal, and Version Control

    Minor errors that do not affect the scientific validity of a published article are addressed through a formal Corrigendum. Errors that materially affect the interpretation or validity of findings, or confirmed cases of misconduct (plagiarism, fabrication, duplicate publication), result in Retraction, following COPE's retraction guidelines. Retraction notices are linked to the original article and clearly state the reason for retraction.

    8.1 Withdrawal Policy

    Authors who wish to withdraw a manuscript prior to publication must submit a written withdrawal request to the Editorial Office, signed by all authors, stating the reason for withdrawal. Requests should be made as early as possible in the editorial process.

    Withdrawal during initial screening or peer review: manuscripts may be withdrawn freely at the author's request, subject to acknowledgement by the Editorial Office.

    Withdrawal after acceptance but before formal publication: considered only in exceptional circumstances and requires the approval of the Editor-in-Chief.

    Withdrawal after formal publication (online or in an issue): not permitted as a withdrawal; such cases are handled exclusively under the Retraction procedure described above.

    Authors who withdraw a manuscript after it has entered peer review without valid justification, or who are found to have submitted the same manuscript simultaneously to another journal, may be barred from future submissions to GJBEI at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.

    9. Open Access, Copyright, and Licensing

    GJBEI is a fully open-access journal. Submission fees and article processing charges (APCs) are currently waived until December 2027; all published articles are freely available to readers immediately upon publication at no cost regardless of the fee waiver status. Authors retain copyright of their work and, upon acceptance, grant GJBEI and Hormuud University a non-exclusive license to publish and distribute the article in print and digital formats under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license, permitting reuse with appropriate attribution. Authors are required to confirm that the submitted work is original, has not been published elsewhere, and does not infringe any third-party copyright.

    10. Article Types

    GJBEI accepts the following manuscript types for submission and peer review:

    Article Type Description Word Limit (approx.)
    Original Research Article Empirical or theoretical studies presenting new findings on business and economic topics 5,000–8,000
    Review Article Systematic or narrative reviews synthesizing existing literature on a defined topic 6,000–10,000
    Case Study In-depth analysis of organizational, business, or economic cases with analytical insights 4,000–7,000
    Short Communication Brief reports of significant preliminary findings or methodology innovations 2,000–3,500
    Policy Analysis Paper Evidence-based analysis of economic or business policies with recommendations 4,000–7,000
    Conceptual Paper Development of new theoretical frameworks or conceptual models in business/economics 5,000–8,000

    11. Manuscript Structure

    Manuscripts submitted to GJBEI must be double-blind prepared (all author-identifying information removed from the main file) and follow the structure set out below:

    Cover Letter: addressed to the Editor-in-Chief, confirming the manuscript is original, not under review elsewhere, and has not been previously published; stating the manuscript's contribution to the field and identifying all authors and their affiliations.

    Title Page (separate file): the full title, all author names, affiliations, corresponding author contact details, acknowledgements, and funding declarations.

    Title and Abstract: a summary of approximately 200–300 words stating the purpose, methods, key findings, and conclusion of the study.

    Keywords: 5–8 terms, listed immediately below the abstract.

    Introduction: background, problem statement, and objectives of the study.

    Literature Review: positioning of the study within existing scholarship.

    Methodology: research design, data sources, sample, and analytical procedures, in sufficient detail to permit replication.

    Results/Findings: findings presented clearly, supported by tables and figures as appropriate.

    Discussion: interpretation of findings, implications, limitations, and comparison with existing literature.

    Conclusion: concise summary of the study's contribution and, where relevant, recommendations for practice, policy, or further research.

    Acknowledgements, Declaration of Generative AI Use (where applicable, per Section 5), and References (in APA style, per Section 13) follow the Conclusion.

    Figures and Tables: embedded in the manuscript at appropriate locations, and also provided as separate high-resolution files where applicable.

    Additional declarations: Conflict of Interest Declaration, Ethics Statement (where human subjects or sensitive data are involved), Data Availability Statement, and Author Contribution Statement (for multi-authored manuscripts).

    Review articles, short communications, case studies, policy analysis papers, and conceptual papers may adapt this structure to suit the nature of the contribution, but must retain a title, abstract, and keywords.

    12. Formatting Guidelines

    To ensure consistency across submissions, authors must prepare manuscripts according to the following formatting requirements:

    Font style: Century Gothic, used consistently throughout the manuscript, including headings, body text, tables, and figure captions.

    Font size: 12 pt for body text; headings may be bolded at the same or a slightly larger size.

    Line spacing: 1.5 lines throughout the body of the manuscript.

    Margins: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides - top, bottom, left, and right.

    Page size: A4, with pages numbered consecutively at the bottom of each page.

    Text alignment: justified, with paragraphs separated by a single blank line or first-line indent, applied consistently.

    Tables and figures: numbered consecutively, with concise titles/captions, and referred to in the text.

    Manuscripts that do not conform to these formatting requirements may be returned to authors for correction before proceeding to peer review.

    13. Reference Style

    GJBEI uses the American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style, 7th edition, for both in-text citations and the reference list.

    In-text citations use the author–date format, e.g., (Abdi & Hassan, 2023) or Abdi and Hassan (2023) found that…; direct quotations include a page number.

    The reference list appears at the end of the manuscript, titled "References," arranged alphabetically by the first author's surname, and formatted with a hanging indent.

    Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs), where available, must be included for journal articles and other electronic sources.

    All in-text citations must correspond to an entry in the reference list, and vice versa; authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all references.

    Illustrative reference examples:

    Journal Article - Abdi, M. H., & Hassan, F. A. (2023). Economic diversification in post-conflict Somalia: Constraints and opportunities. African Development Review, 35(2), 112–128. https://doi.org/10.1111/example

    Book - Todaro, M. P., & Smith, S. C. (2020). Economic development (13th ed.). Pearson Education.

    Book Chapter - Hassan, I. A. (2021). Islamic finance instruments in Somalia. In A. Mohamed (Ed.), Finance in the Horn of Africa (pp. 67–89). East African Press.

    Website/Online Source - World Bank. (2023, October 5). Somalia economic update 2023. World Bank Group. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/somalia

    Authors should consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition) for guidance on formatting specific source types.

    14. Publication Frequency and Fees

    GJBEI publishes biannually, with Issue 1 released in September and Issue 2 in March. GJBEI operates as a fully Open Access journal. Submission fees and article processing charges (APCs) are currently waived for all articles submitted through December 2027; authors submitting during this period publish at no charge.

    15. Editorial Contact and Governance

    The journal is governed by an Editor-in-Chief — the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovations at Hormuud University — who holds full academic, ethical, and administrative responsibility for the journal, supported by an Editorial Board of subject-area experts spanning economics, business management, Islamic finance, entrepreneurship and innovation, and development economics, drawn from national and international institutions to reflect geographic and disciplinary diversity. Final editorial board appointments will be confirmed prior to OJS activation. For editorial queries, submission support, or ethics concerns, authors should contact the Editorial Office of GJBEI at gjbei@hu.edu.so.