Editorial Process

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The Journal of Management and Planning Research (JMPR) follows a rigorous, single blind peer-review process designed to ensure the quality, relevance, and integrity of all published work. Reviewers remain anonymous to authors (single-blind review), and manuscripts are evaluated solely on scholarly merit.

Below is an overview of each stage of the editorial workflow.

1. Submission and Initial Screening

  1. Manuscript submission

    • Authors submit manuscripts by email to the editorial office at jmpr@lockescience.press, following the Guide for Authors and Submission Checklist.

    • Only original work, not previously published and not under review elsewhere, is considered.

  2. Initial editorial check (within 7 days)

    • The editorial office performs a preliminary screening to assess:

      • Fit with JMPR’s aims and scope.

      • Basic formatting and structure (abstract, references, figures/tables, word length).

      • Apparent originality and compliance with the journal’s publication ethics and open access policy.

    • At this stage, the editorial office may:

      • Reject manuscripts that clearly fall outside the scope or are not suitable for review, or

      • Return the manuscript to the authors for technical or formatting corrections, or

      • Move the manuscript forward to peer review.

2. Assignment to Editor and Reviewer Selection

  1. Handling editor assignment

    • Suitable manuscripts are assigned to the editorial office or an appropriate Associate Editor / editorial board member, based on topic and expertise.

  2. Selection of reviewers

    • The handling editor invites at least two expert reviewers with relevant subject knowledge.

    • Reviewers are chosen to avoid conflicts of interest and to ensure a balanced, independent assessment.

    • Reviewers receive the anonymized manuscript (no reviewer names are disclosed to authors).

3. Single Blind Peer Review (up to 10 weeks)

  1. Review process

    • Reviewers assess the manuscript’s:

      • Originality and contribution to management and planning research.

      • Theoretical and methodological soundness.

      • Quality of data, case studies, or project documentation.

      • Clarity of writing and structure.

      • Relevance and implications for practice and future research.

      • Use of references and engagement with current literature.

  2. Review reports and recommendations

    • Reviewers provide written reports with a recommendation, typically:

      • Accept

      • Minor revisions

      • Major revisions

      • Reject

    • Reports are intended to be constructive and detailed, helping authors improve their work regardless of the final decision.

  3. Editorial evaluation

    • The handling editor considers all reviewer reports and may consult additional editorial board members if needed.

    • The editor then makes a decision, ensuring alignment with JMPR’s ethical standards (AMS, IMU, EMS, COPE guidelines).

4. Decisions and Revisions

  1. Decision letter to authors

    • The corresponding author receives a decision with:

      • The editor’s summary of the key points.

      • The anonymous reviewer reports.

      • Clear instructions on the type of revisions expected (if applicable).

  2. Revised manuscripts

    • For minor or major revisions, authors:

      • Revise the manuscript addressing all comments.

      • Provide a response document explaining how each point was handled (or why certain suggestions were not adopted, with justification).

    • Revised manuscripts may be:

      • Re-evaluated solely by the handling editor, or

      • Sent back to one or more reviewers for a second round of review, especially after major revisions.

  3. Further rounds

    • If needed, a second or (rarely) third revision cycle may be requested to reach a publishable version.

    • At each stage, the editor balances thoroughness with timeliness.

5. Final Acceptance, Copyediting, and Proofs

  1. Final acceptance

    • Once the manuscript meets JMPR’s standards for quality, clarity, and ethical compliance, the editor issues a formal acceptance.

  2. Copyediting and formatting

    • The accepted manuscript is prepared for publication, including:

      • Language editing where needed (clarity, consistency, style).

      • Formatting of text, references, figures, tables, and captions according to journal style.

      • Ensuring correct metadata (author names, affiliations, ORCID if provided, funding, acknowledgments).

  3. Proofs

    • The corresponding author receives page proofs (PDF) to check for:

      • Typographical errors

      • Minor corrections and clarifications

    • Substantive changes at this stage are discouraged and may require editorial approval.

    • Proofs must typically be returned within 48 hours to avoid delay.

6. Publication and Open Access

  1. Issue assignment and online publication

    • JMPR publishes one volume per year, with one issue.

    • After final proofs are approved, the article is published in the current running issue and published online.

  2. Open access and licensing

    • All articles are published as diamond open access:

      • No article processing charges (APCs) for authors.

      • No subscription fees for readers.

    • Articles are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

    • Authors retain copyright, while granting the journal a non-exclusive license to publish.

  3. Indexing and discoverability

    • Published articles are included in the journal’s abstracting and indexing services, maximizing their visibility and impact.

7. Ethical Oversight, Corrections, and Appeals

  1. Ethics and integrity

    • JMPR follows the Policy Statement on Ethical Guidelines (AMS), Best Current Practices (IMU journals), EMS Code of Practice and comments, and COPE Guidelines.

    • Allegations of plagiarism, data falsification, duplicate publication, or other misconduct are investigated following these frameworks.

  2. Corrections and retractions

    • If a significant error or ethical issue is identified post-publication, the journal may publish a:

      • Correction or erratum

      • Expression of concern

      • Retraction, when necessary to preserve the integrity of the record.

  3. Appeals

    • Authors who believe a decision has been made in error may submit a reasoned appeal to the Editor-in-Chief.

    • Appeals are considered carefully, possibly involving an additional editorial or external review, but do not guarantee reversal of the original decision.

If you have questions about any part of the editorial process, please contact: jmpr@lockescience.press.