Call for Special Issue Proposals
Submission deadline: 31 December 2024
Process
BJM invites special issue proposals for an issue scheduled for publication in 2027. We will select one special issue for the year. The process of selecting the successful special issue proposal will be competitive – all submitted proposals that meet basic requirements will be considered by the BJM editorial leadership team (Editors-in-Chief and Associate Editors) who will make the final decision.
If your proposal is successful, a revision process will follow to shape the final call for papers. One or two members of the BJM editorial leadership team will be assigned to join the special issue team to provide process advice and guidance and ensure quality control.
Deadline for submissions: 31 December 2024
Decisions expected: 31 March 2025
Please note the responsibilities of guest editors include handling all submissions, communicating with authors, inviting reviewers and making recommendations on each article using ScholarOne Manuscripts and the special issue team will be required to adhere to the usual BJM criteria for handling papers, including standards of correspondence, turnaround times and the peer review process
Proposals may be submitted for consideration from 1 October 2024.
Unsuccessful proposals submitted in response to previous calls may only be resubmitted for consideration if specifically invited by the Editors-in-Chief.
Required content
Proposals must include all of this information:
Editorial team
Typically, the editorial team is comprised of four to six people. Collectively, the membership of the team should demonstrate experience of research on the special issue theme, academic excellence, some editorial experience, international reach and attention to diversity. Include a 50-word biography for each member of the team.
You should confirm that the members of the team will not be committed to other special issues in other outlets for the editorial process period of the proposed special issue.
Please note that we will appoint an Associate Editor from our regular team who will join the special issue team as a full member, who will work with you throughout the process, including but not limited to initial review of the papers and to confirm final acceptances. Your submission should, therefore, confirm that you accept this condition.
Academic rationale
The academic rationale functions in a similar way to the introduction to an article – it should explain why the special issue is necessary, timely and likely to add substantially to theoretical debates. The aim is to demonstrate that the special issue theme is significant and broad enough to attract submissions (and later, readers and citations) while also being focused enough to be coherent.
This section is normally 2-3 pages and should be well supported by citations; while interdisciplinary breadth and novelty is welcome, you must show connection to debates in BJM.
Example themes / research questions
Across a half to one full page, provide a number of example questions or themes for article submissions. If these are set out as possible research questions, they should be phrased as ‘how’ / ‘why’ questions since these are more likely to lead to contributions to theoretical debates.
Anticipated ‘shape’ of the Special Issue
With reference to the BJM submission types which can be found here, indicate the number of articles of each type that your special issue will aim to develop. Typically, most of the articles should be empirical although there may be one or two conceptual and/or methodological articles.
If you are intending a special issue to be focused on Management Knowledge and Education, you should specify the number of articles of those specific types that you are targeting.
Whatever the focus of your special issue, the normal target range should fall within 6-10 published articles in total.
Editorial introduction
The special issue editorial team may not make submissions to the special issue. However, they will be provided with the opportunity to write an editorial introduction to their special issue as a team (including the Associate Editor appointed by BJM). This must introduce the accepted articles but may go on to develop some novel insights and inferences for the field from that starting point. It will not be a ‘stand-alone’ essay on the special issue theme. Please confirm in your submission that you understand and accept this condition.
Submission development plan
Outline (around one page) how you will promote the special issue and attract and develop a significant range of potential submissions. Your plan may include media and network activity but must indicate planned activities at specific events or conferences hosted by the team, indicating who from your team will commit to each. We will work with special issue editors to profile your activities at BAM events and through BAM channels.
Visibility and impact plan
Outline (no more than one page) how you will ensure that the completed special issue would attract and engage scholarly attention and lead to an impact on practice and/or policy.
Required format
Proposals must use 12 point Times Roman font and be single-spaced, with 1 inch / 2.5cm margins. Where helpful, tables may be used and these should be included in the text.
Submission details
Send your proposal as a single Microsoft Word file to [email protected] no later than 31 December 2024.
Riikka Sarala, Shuang Ren and Paul Hibbert
Editors-in-Chief