Publishing Terms

Publication Guidelines for Al-Manara Journal for Research and Studies

Business Series

Al al-Bayt University – Jordan

First: Definition, Objectives, and Scope of the Series

Definition of the Series

The Business Series, the first series of the Al-Manara Journal for Research and Studies, publishes four quarterly issues (electronic and print) annually under the supervision of the Deanship of Scientific Research at Al al-Bayt University, in accordance with internationally recognized standards.

The series is dedicated to publishing original and innovative scientific research of sound scientific and scholarly value in terms of content and language, written in either Arabic or English, across various fields of business.

The series is managed by an independent and specialized international scientific editorial board, in addition to a highly qualified advisory board with extensive experience in research publication and peer review.

Objectives of the Journal

The journal aims to:

Publish original scientific research in the fields of business.
Support theoretical and applied studies of scientific value.
Contribute to the development of practices in business-related fields in ways that support institutional innovation, enhance performance efficiency, and contribute to improving decision-making.
Promote scientific communication among researchers locally and internationally in relevant fields.

Scope of Publication

The journal publishes research in the following fields:

Public Administration.
Business Administration.
Marketing.
Accounting.
Finance and Banking.
Economics.

Second: Publication Requirements

Submitted manuscripts must meet the following requirements:

The research must be original and provide a clear scholarly contribution.
The research must not have been previously published or submitted for publication in another journal.
The topic of the research must fall within the scope and disciplines of the series.
The research must comply with scientific methodology and research ethics.
The research must follow the American Psychological Association (APA), 7th edition, citation and referencing guidelines adopted by the journal.
The manuscript is subject to preliminary editorial screening and scientific peer review.
The authors are scientifically responsible for the content and originality of the research.
A list of sources and references must be provided at the end of the manuscript and Romanized/transliterated.

Example:

Al-Duhaimi, Fahd. (2021). Athar faʿāliyat al-qarārāt al-istirātījiyyah fī al-tamayyuz al-tanẓīmī min khilāl al-tamkīn al-waẓīfī, mutaghayyiran wasīṭan: Dirāsah maydāniyyah ʿalā al-bunūk al-tijāriyyah al-Qaṭariyyah. Majallat Ramah, 16(3), 411–428.

At least 5% of the total references, and no fewer than two references, must be citations from research published in Al-Manara Journal for Research and Studies.
At least 5% of the total references, and no fewer than two references, must be citations from journals indexed in Scopus databases.
The journal charges a publication fee of USD 200 for each manuscript accepted for publication. If the manuscript exceeds 10,000 words after the required revisions have been completed, an additional fee of USD 50 for every additional 1,000 words or part thereof will be charged.
Manuscripts and all correspondence related to the journal must be submitted through the Al-Manara Journal – Business Series platform via:

Al-Manara Journal Submission Platform

Each manuscript must be submitted to the specialized series that corresponds to the author's field of specialization, after creating a new account on the platform, logging in, and completing all submission procedures in accordance with the instructions and guidelines provided on the platform.

Third: Manuscript Preparation and Formatting

Manuscript Length

The manuscript must not exceed 10,000 words. This word count includes the Arabic and English abstracts, tables, figures, references, and appendices, if any.
The manuscript must contain at least 5,000 words.
This word limit is intended to achieve a balance between scholarly presentation and the effective use of electronic publishing capabilities.
The Editorial Board may consider manuscripts exceeding the specified word limit when warranted by their scholarly nature.

Manuscript Formatting

Manuscripts Written in Arabic

Font: Simplified Arabic.
Main text: 12 points.
Title: 16 points, bold.
Main headings: 14 points, bold.
Main text: 12 points.
Tables, figures, and notes: 12 points.

Manuscripts Written in English

Font: Times New Roman.
Main text: 11 points.
Headings: According to the heading levels prescribed by the APA guidelines.

Line Spacing

The entire manuscript must use single line spacing.
Paragraphs and headings should be organized clearly to facilitate reading and scientific peer review.

Fourth: Components and Organization of the Manuscript

1. Cover Page

The cover page must include:

Title of the research.
Full names of the authors, consisting of three parts.
Institutional affiliation and academic department.
Email address of the corresponding author.
Contact information.
A declaration confirming the originality of the research and that it has not been previously published, using the declaration provided on the submission platform.

2. Abstract and Keywords

The manuscript must include an Arabic abstract and an English abstract, containing:

The objective of the study.
The methodology used.
The study sample or population, if applicable.
Research instruments.
The main findings.
Keywords.

Each abstract should be 150–250 words, accompanied by 3–5 keywords.

3. Organization of the Manuscript

The manuscript must include the following main sections:

Introduction

The introduction should include the theoretical framework and previous studies. It should be developed inductively to explain the topic and significance of the study and highlight the research problem or gap that warrants investigation.

The introduction should not contain subheadings and should not exceed 8 pages.

Statement of the Problem and Research Questions or Hypotheses

The research problem and research questions or hypotheses should be presented according to the nature and methodology of the study.

Significance of the Study

This section should explain the scientific and practical contributions of the study. It is preferable to present them in bullet-point form.

Study Terms and Definitions

This section should include the definitions of the study terms, including operational definitions where necessary.

Delimitations and Limitations of the Study

This section should include the subject, temporal, geographical, and human delimitations, as applicable to the nature of the study, in addition to its limitations.

Method and Procedures

Depending on the nature of the study, this section should include:

Research methodology.
Study population, if applicable.
Study sample or participants, if applicable.
Research instruments and data collection methods, including establishing their validity and reliability when necessary.
Research procedures.
Data analysis and statistical methods, according to the nature of the study.

Results and Discussion

The presentation and discussion of the results should be combined in one section.

Recommendations and Suggestions

Recommendations and suggestions may be included when appropriate.

References and Sources

References and sources must be organized and documented according to the American Psychological Association (APA), 7th edition guidelines.

Appendices

Appendices may be included when applicable.

Fifth: Peer Review and Publication Procedures

Preliminary Screening

The Editorial Board of the series reviews each manuscript to verify its compatibility with the journal's scope, publication requirements, and approved scientific and formal standards.

The Editorial Board has the right to decline a manuscript that does not meet these requirements or is inconsistent with the objectives of the series before referring it for external peer review, without being obligated to provide detailed reasons for such a decision.

Scientific Peer Review

Manuscripts that pass the preliminary screening are referred to two specialized reviewers according to the nature and field of the research.

The reviewers should have expertise in the research topic or in a relevant field of business. Where necessary, the journal may seek the assistance of a specialist in research methodology, data analysis, or statistical analysis to verify the soundness of the methodology and the validity of the analysis and results.

The journal maintains the confidentiality of the peer-review process and reviewers' reports.

Peer-Review Decisions

The Editorial Board makes the final decision based on the reviewers' reports. Possible decisions include:

Acceptance without revisions.
Acceptance subject to minor revisions.
Major revisions and re-evaluation.
Rejection.

In the event of conflicting reviewer reports, the Editorial Board may refer the manuscript to a third reviewer or take an appropriate decision based on the nature of the reports.

Author Revisions and Manuscript Withdrawal

Authors must complete the requested revisions within the period specified by the journal.

If the author fails to respond to the required revisions, the journal has the right to close the manuscript file and consider the manuscript withdrawn.

A manuscript may not be withdrawn after the peer-review process has commenced except with the approval of the Editorial Board.

The journal may apply the procedures stipulated under Item (18), Article (11) of the Instructions for Issuing Al-Manara Journal for Research and Studies.

Final Decision

The decision of the Journal's Editorial Board regarding acceptance or rejection of a manuscript shall be final, while maintaining the confidentiality of the evaluation and peer-review procedures.

Sixth: Documentation, Research Integrity, and Publication Ethics

Authors must:

Use the APA citation and referencing system for in-text citations and the reference list.
Ensure consistency between references cited in the text and those included in the reference list.
Rely on reliable and up-to-date scholarly sources.
Avoid all forms of plagiarism and undocumented quotation.
Submitted manuscripts are subject to text-similarity screening in accordance with the journal's policy.
Avoid undocumented literal translation of texts or foreign studies and adhere to paraphrasing ideas in an academic manner while citing the original sources.
The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any manuscript containing plagiarism, unauthorized translation, or violations of intellectual property rights.
Respect intellectual property rights.
Disclose sources of funding and any conflicts of interest.
Not submit the manuscript simultaneously to more than one journal.

Notice

- During the preliminary screening stage, the Editorial Board reviews the manuscript to determine its compatibility with the scope of the series, publication requirements, and approved scientific and formal standards. The Editorial Board has the right to decline any manuscript that does not meet these requirements or is inconsistent with the objectives of the series, without referring it for external peer review. In such cases, the author will be notified of the decision not to accept the manuscript, and the journal is not required to provide detailed reasons for the decision. The Editorial Board's decision at this stage shall be final.
- If a decision is issued not to approve publication of a manuscript referred for scientific peer review, the author will be notified of the final rejection decision. The journal is not obligated to provide the author with the reviewers' reports or details of the deliberations, in order to preserve the confidentiality of the peer-review process and the independence of scholarly evaluation.
- The Editorial Board reserves the right to make any organizational or formatting modifications to submitted manuscripts in accordance with the journal's editorial approach and scholarly quality standards.