GUIDE TO AUTHORS
General
Manuscripts submitted to International Journal of Innovation and Business Strategy (IJIBS) must be original work that has not been published or under consideration for publication elsewhere. All submissions will undergo double blind peer review process.
Topics
Authors may submit manuscripts discussing relevant themes, trends, and topics in business management domains and research areas such as accounting, finance and economics; marketing and consumer insights; technology and innovation; human resource management and organizational behavior; strategy, entrepreneurship, operations and supply chain; and related cross-cutting and emerging themes.
Types of Manuscript
The manuscripts can be based on empirical research (including action research), conceptual paper, review papers and case studies based on quantitative, qualitative and mixed methodologies.
o Empirical article
Presents and analyzes original evidence collected from real data to answer a research question or test a proposition, hypothesis, or theoretical relationship. They can be based on quantitative, qualitative and mixed method research.
o Conceptual article
This paper critically discusses exisiting literature to develop new ideas, concepts, theoretical arguments, models, or frameworks. Its key contribution is to advance theoretical understanding that provide a foundation for future research.
o Review article
A review paper synthesizes existing research evidence on a stopic to identify key themes, research gaps, and theoretical developments to provide directions for future research. Common types include systematic reviews, scoping reviews, and bibliometric reviews.
o Case study
A paper providing an in-depth examination of actual interventions or experiences within a specific organization, using evidence from multiple data sources to generate theoretical, practical, or contextual insights. A case study developed for teaching purpose is also acceptable.
Language, Length and Format
The manuscripts should be written in English, and between 5000 to 8000 words in length inclusive of abstract, tables, figures and illustrations, and references. Lengths outside this range are occassionally accepted. They should be prepared single-spaced in a Microsoft word format.
Manuscript Structure
The manuscripts should be structured following the international convention, which include an abstract, an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion, limitations and future directions (article template).
o Title
A concisely worded title should be provided.
o Author Details
Provide details including authors’ full name, institutional affiliations, and institutional email, and institutional address. Corresponding author should be clearly identified. Only individuals who have made significant contributions to the research and preparation of the manuscript should be listed as authors. Supporting individuals can be mentioned in the manuscript Acknowledgement section.
o Abstract
All manuscripts should be accompanied by an abstract of not more than 200 words. The abstract should not only indicate the subject and scope of the paper but also summarize the author’s conclusion.
o Keywords
Provide between three to five keywords that could be useful for information-retrieval purposes.
o Article type
Indicate whether the manuscript is empirical research article, conceptual article, review article, or case study.
o Introduction
This section presents the background and context of the study/paper, highlighting the importance of the topic, the practical or theoretical issues that motivate the investigation, the research gap by explaining what is lacking in the existing literature, and justifications for why further research is needed. The section should conclude by stating the research aim, objectives/questions, hypotheses (if relevant), and the significance or expected contributions of the study/paper.
o Literature review
Authors should provide a critical synthesis of previous studies related to the research topic. It should be beyond summarizing past research, but evaluating and comparing existing findings and identifying their agreements and disagreements. Authors may demonstrate how their study builds upon or differs from prior work. This section may include theoretical foundation or conceptual framework of the study, discussion of key concepts, and relevant research hypotheses or propositions. The literature review section can be sub-divided to offer in-depth discussions. Authors may also include relevant matrix such as literature mapping tables and frameworks to enhance literature analysis.
o Methodology
This section should describe the research design, data collection methods, sampling procedures, instruments or tools used, and data analysis techniques. It should also justify the chosen approach and methods in relation to the research objectives. The explanation should be detailed enough for replication while remaining concise and focused on relevance to the research question. The methodology section should be written in the past tense, because it describes what was already done in the study. For example: “Data were collected through semi-structured interviews…” “The survey was distributed to 200 participants…” However, present tense can be used when describing established methods or frameworks that still apply generally, such as: “This study uses a mixed-methods approach based on Creswell’s framework”. Ethical procedures should also be described.
o Results
Authors should present findings of the study objectively. Findings should be supported by appropriate tables, figures, or charts where necessary. For quantitative research, the results section typically includes respondent or sample characteristics, descriptive statistics, reliability and validity tests (where applicable), and the results of statistical analyses such as correlation, regression, or hypothesis testing. In qualitative research, the findings can be organized into themes or categories derived from the data, with representative quotations or excerpts used to support each theme.
o Discussion
The discussion section should interpret and explain the meaning of the study’s findings in relation to the research questions and existing literature. Authors are expected to highlight key results, explain their implications, and show how they support, extend, or challenge previous studies. This section should also address unexpected outcomes, consider possible reasons for them, and discuss the study’s theoretical and practical significance.
o Conclusion, limitations, and future directions
The section should succinctly summarize the main findings and their overall implications for theory, practice, or policy. The conclusion reinforces the study’s contribution and answers the research question clearly without repeating earlier details. The limitations acknowledge any weaknesses in the study’s design, data, or scope that may affect interpretation or generalizability, demonstrating transparency and critical awareness. The future directions outline potential areas for further research, building on the current study’s findings or addressing its limitations to guide subsequent scholarly work.
Tables, Illustrations, Equations and Footnotes
Explanations and guidelines are explained below:
o Tables
All tables should be kept simple and clear, and should be specifically mentioned in the text. They should be numbered, titled, and placed right after the paragraphs they are mentioned. Tables should use black text on a white background. Other colours should be used only if it utmost necessary to help readers understand the data. Size tables appropriately to fit comfortably within the margin.
o Illustrations
Illustrations including figures, diagrams and graphs should be sharp, noise free and of good contrast. They should be numbered consecutively in the same order as they are referred to in the text. Line drawings should be in black ink on a white background and lettering size must be large enough to permit legible reduction whenever necessary. Other colours should be used only if it utmost necessary to help readers understand the data. All photographs submitted must be of good quality. Size illustrations appropriately to fit comfortably within the margin.
o Mathematical Notation and Equations
All equations must be clearly typed, tripled-space and should be identified or numbered accordingly.
o Footnotes
Footnotes should be avoided if possible; where they are used they should be numbered consecutively with superscript Arabic numerals.
Reference
References should appear in a separate Reference section at the end of the manuscripts, typed double-spaced in the order of item referred to in the next. Use American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style. Ensure that the reference list matches all in-text citations used in the manuscript. Authors are encouraged to cite recent literature, preferably published within the last three years, from reputable peer-reviewed journals. For online sources, authors should include the relevant URL to ensure accessibility. For journal articles, the DOI number must be given if applicable.
Acknowledgement
A brief acknowledgment of not more than 50 words should be included at the end of the manuscripts, before the list of references. Acknowledgement could be made to funding body, institution/universities/organization or individual/person. Examples:
o Acknowledgement to funding body (Grant number) : This work was supported by the Trust [grant numbers xxxx, yyyy]; the Natural Environment Research Council [grant number zzzz]; and the Economic and Social Research Council [grant number aaaa].
o Acknowledgement to institution/universities/organization: We would like to thank XYZ University for their helpful feedback and support.
o Acknowledgement to individual/person: We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our supervisor, Professor John Doe, for his valuable guidance and support throughout the research process. His expertise and insights were invaluable in shaping our research and helping us to overcome challenges.
Conflict of Interest
To promote transparency and research integrity, authors should declare any conflict of interest that could influence (or be perceived to influence) the research process, interpretation of findings, or publication decisions. Conflict of interest can be derived from financial, personal, professional, or institutional relationships. Examples:
o The author(s) declare(s) that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.
o The research received funding from (name of funding organization).
o Author A received research funding from [organization name]. Author B serves as a consultant for [company name]. These relationships did not influence the study design, data analysis, or interpretation of results.
Author Contributions
Authors should declare the specific roles and contributions of each author in the research and manuscript preparation process. This statement is a mandatory requirement for all IJIBS manuscripts effective from the December 2026 issue.
Ethics Declaration
Authors should declare whether research involving human participants or sensitive data has received ethical approval and complied with relevant ethical guidelines. For studies where ethical approval is not applicable, authors should state this accordingly. Examples:
o This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of (name of institution / ethics committee). Ethical approval was obtained from the [Name of Ethics Committee] (Approval No. XXXX)
o Formal ethical approval was not obtained for this study. However, the authors confirm that the research was conducted in accordance with established ethical principles and good research practices, with due consideration given to participant rights, informed consent, confidentiality, and responsible data handling.
o This study used publicly available secondary data and did not involve direct interaction with human participants. Therefore, ethical approval was not applicable.
Data Availability
Authors are highly encouraged where applicable to provide a data availability statement indicating how the research data can be accessed or explaining any restrictions on data sharing. If data cannot be shared, authors should explain the reason (e.g., confidentiality or ethical restrictions). Providing this statement is mandatory for all IJIBS manuscripts effective from the December 2026 issue. Examples:
o The data supporting the findings of this study are available from [repository name] at [link].
o The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
o The data are not publicly available due to confidentiality and ethical restrictions related to participant privacy.
AI-Use Declaration
Starting December 2026 issue, authors are required to disclose whether and how artificial intelligence (AI) tools were used during the research and manuscript preparation process. IJIBS permits the use of AI-assisted tools to support manuscript preparation, such as improving language quality and formatting. However, the use of AI-generated tools to produce content, including text, analysis, interpretations, or research outputs, is not permitted. Authors remain fully responsible for the originality, accuracy, and integrity of their submissions. Refer to IJIBS AI Policy for more guidelines.
Submission
The manuscript should be prepared by referring to the Guide to Authors and using IJIBS manuscript format.
The submission should consist of the following files clearly labelled as:
o Blind manuscript (without authors’ names and details) using provided template.
o Title page (include manuscript title, authors' name, institutional affiliations, and correspondence address)
o Cover page
o Copyright transfer agreement
o Other files (if relevant)
Templates for the above are provided in the Submission Package. Submission should be made through this link: https://ijibs.utm.my
Reviewers
All submissions will undergo double blind peer review process. We welcome suggestions for referees (3 names) from the authors though these recommendations may or may not be used. Please mention these in cover letter submitted with the manuscript.
Copyrights
Copyright of articles that appear in International Journal of Innovation and Business Strategy (IJIBS) belongs exclusively to Penerbit Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. This copyright covers the rights to reproduce the article, including reprints, electronic reproductions or any other reproductions of similar nature.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the IJIBS. Examples of analysis performed within are only examples and they should not be utilized in real-world. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of any IJIBS entities.
Privacy Statement
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