PAPERS/MATERIALS ACCEPTABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN SAJM

This is a brief note for the consideration of potential authors on the types of materials acceptable for publication in South Asian Journal of Management (SAJM). SAJM considers the following five types of materials for publication, namely: (1) Empirical Papers, (2) Review Papers, (3) Research Notes, (4) Case-studies, and (5)  Book reviews. A brief write-up on the contents and style expected in each of these is given below:

1. Empirical Paper:
An empirical paper should investigate a problem relevant for management theory and practice, using the systematic analysis of primary or  secondary data. The paper, therefore, should be structured around the following sub-headings or their equivalents:

• Introduction, where the problem and  research objectives are explained in their practical and theoretical context.
• Literature Review (where the sub-heading need not be ‘Literature Review’, but can  be more appropriately titled with the sub theme around which the review is done), which has to be used for building the argument behind the study being undertaken, establishing the research gap and the need for the proposed research, developing the theoretical framework/paradigm of research and developing/ supporting the research hypotheses generated. In other words, the literature review should not deteriorate into a serial listing of some prior studies in the field or  into a summarised reproduction of materials from a few textbooks. It should be focused on the problem being investigated and build support for one’s hypotheses around a theoretical framework, using the findings of prior research studies published in reputed national and especially, international journals.
• Hypotheses, which  should be formulated based on the experience of the problem as well as the review of existing literature on the topic, and should be stated clearly along  with specific goals of the proposed research.
• Methodology, which should specify and justify the type of data to be collected, instruments of data collection,  population and samples of the study, and the data-analyses techniques. Obviously, the choice of the various elements of methodology will have to be guided by the  objectives and hypotheses of the study. While the data can be primary, secondary, quantitative or qualitative (including case-studies), their analysis should be  logically convincing, and the reliability and validity of the measures should be well established.
• The Findings/Results, which have to be explained with reference to the hypotheses, theoretical framework, and the expectations based on prior studies. In case of mismatches between the findings and expectations, the possible reasons for this will have to be explored and contingency propositions generated. This section should also address the limitations of the study and how these would affect the interpretation of the findings as well as delineate a course for future researchers to take the line of research forward.
• Implications for Theory and Practice, which, as the title suggests, has to be discussed in two parts. The first part should explain how the findings would extend, modify or replace the existing  theories and paradigms of research in the field. The second part should discuss how the findings could be used by practitioners to enhance the  effectiveness of their practice. While there can be specific recommendations regarding the changes to be made by practitioners, they should strictly be based on and restricted to those emerging from the findings of the study. There should not be any general and wide ranging recommendations as in a consultants report.

2. Conceptual Paper:
A conceptual paper should be an attempt to extend the frontiers of knowledge in a particular field by integrating and/or reinterpreting the findings of prior studies in the field. While a conceptual paper does not collect, present or analyse primary or secondary data to bring out a new theoretical perspective, it has to develop such new perspectives by aggregating and reinterpreting the findings of existing studies. This would imply that the researcher should do a very  comprehensive and focused survey of literature on the theme, integrate them into a unifying theoretical framework and/or reinterpret the aggregate findings to  modify the prevailing theory or paradigms. Theoretical propositions, especially of a contingency type, could be a very useful way to put the nuances of the new  theory across for empirical testing by future researchers.

3. Research Notes:
Research notes are also empirical works, but are different from empirical papers only in their scale of execution, not in the rigour of the research method. If the work is on a simple theme and/or tested on a limited sample, or if the focus of the study is primarily on the development/modification of a research method rather than on the content, then it can be considered for publication as a research note. While the research note will normally be shorter than an empirical paper, its writing style will have to be that of the empirical paper.

4. Case Studies:
Case studies are descriptions of the real situations and actions of real organizations, which may be of any type or sector such as corporate, entrepreneurial, government, NGO, service, etc. The case study should not be a general description of the structure, functions, people and actions of an organization, but has to be focused on specific problems, issues, strategies or actions of an organization within a specific context. The case should normally reveal the identity of the organization concerned. It will be the responsibility of the author(s) to get the permission from the organization to publish the case study, which is necessary even if the organization’s identity is disguised. SAJM will not take any responsibility in this regard, and may ask for the permission letter for its record. Where the central theme of the case is not obvious to the reader, the author(s) should provide a ‘Teaching Note’ along with the case. Similarly if the analysis
of the case requires the knowledge of the special features of the industry, the authors should provide an ‘Industry Note’ as well. If a case or a few cases are subjected to qualitative or quantitative analysis to bring out underlying theoretical issues and concepts, it will be treated as an empirical paper and will have to follow the prescriptions given for such papers above.

5. Book Reviews:
Book Reviews are published by SAJM primarily to introduce recently published books (especially those discussing new themes, issues, practices, methods, etc. and/or those with new presentation styles) to potential readers. While the reviewer should provide a summary of the book’s contents, that alone will not be enough for a Book Review. There has to be a critique of the book as well as the theme involved. In order to support the critique of the theme, one may use a few (not more than 5) important references, if necessary.

Contents of a Book Review:The book review should include the following sections:

• The title of the book and its bibliographic details including, author name, publisher’s name and place, ISBN No. pages, year of publication and its price at the start of the review.
• A brief background on the book’s topic from reviewer’s knowledge and perspective.
• Highlights/outline of the book’s contents.
• Reviewer’s critical comments, assessment and appreciation of the book, as appropriate, and reviewer’s recommendations, if any.
• Name, designation, institution, city and e-mail address of the reviewer at the end of the review.