Peer Review Policy

Management Research Journal (MRJ) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of scholarly publishing through a rigorous, fair, and transparent peer review process.

Initial Editorial Screening

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial assessment conducted by the Editor-in-Chief or an assigned editor. The manuscript is evaluated to determine whether it:

  • Falls within the aims and scope of the journal;

  • Meets the journal's quality and formatting requirements;

  • Complies with ethical and publication standards; and

  • Passes plagiarism screening.

Manuscripts that do not satisfy these requirements may be rejected without external review.

Double-Blind Peer Review

MRJ operates a double-blind peer review system, whereby the identities of both authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout the review process.

Manuscripts that pass the initial editorial screening are assigned to at least two independent reviewers with expertise relevant to the subject area of the manuscript.

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on:

  • Originality and significance of the research;

  • Relevance to the journal's scope;

  • Methodological rigour;

  • Validity of findings and conclusions;

  • Quality of presentation and scholarly contribution.

Editorial Decisions

Based on reviewers' recommendations, the editorial decision may be:

  • Accept;

  • Accept with Minor Revisions;

  • Major Revisions Required; or

  • Reject.

The final decision regarding publication rests with the Editor-in-Chief.

In cases where reviewer recommendations differ substantially, the manuscript may be assigned to an additional reviewer or undergo further editorial evaluation.

Revision Process

Authors may be requested to revise their manuscripts in response to reviewers' comments. Revised manuscripts should be accompanied by a detailed response explaining how each reviewer comment has been addressed.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers are expected to:

  • Maintain confidentiality of all manuscript information;

  • Provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback;

  • Declare any conflicts of interest;

  • Evaluate manuscripts solely on academic merit.

Editorial Independence and Ethics

Editorial decisions are made independently and are based solely on the scholarly merit, originality, relevance, and quality of the manuscript. Authors' nationality, ethnicity, gender, institutional affiliation, or personal characteristics do not influence editorial decisions.

MRJ follows the principles and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in managing peer review and publication ethics.

Peer Review Timeline

MRJ aims to complete the initial review process within 4–8 weeks of submission. However, the duration may vary depending on reviewer availability and the complexity of the manuscript.