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    Colombo Business Journal

    Quick links

    • Submitting an Article Online
    • Author Guidelines
    • Submission Preparation Checklist
    • Copyright Notice
    • Privacy Statement

    Submissions

    Submitting an Article Online

    Sorry, submissions are temporarily disabled for this journal

    Author Guidelines

    Fees
    There are no charges to publish with the Colombo Business Journal.

    Peer review policy
    All submissions excluding book reviews and perspective papers are submitted to a double-blind peer review process. Book reviews and perspective papers will be reviewed by the editorial board. More details of the review process are available in the ‘Editorial Policies’ tab.

    Manuscripts

    The Colombo Business Journal (CBJ) will publish papers written only in English. Authors are advised to make sure that their manuscripts are in standard written English. Authors can access further information, about types of submissions accepted by the CBJ, from the website of the journal https://mgmt.cmb.ac.lk/cbj/ .

    Manuscript style and format
    Times New Roman 11-point font and A4 page setting should be used. Page numbers should be centred on the bottom margin. All margins should be one inch. Manuscripts should be double spaced.

    Manuscript preparation 

    Title Page
    The title page (first page) of the manuscript should include the title, the name(s) and affiliation(s) of author(s) and their postal address(es), phone number(s), and e-mail address(es). It should also include the ORCID number (register by visiting https://orcid.org/) of the corresponding author (only).

    The title should be in bold type, upper case, single-spaced, and centred across the top of the first page, in 14-point Times New Roman font. Other details should be single-spaced and centred below the title. In case of more than one author, the corresponding author should be indicated with an asterisk mark. Please note that the author name(s) must not appear anywhere else in the manuscript except on the title page and the reference list (if cited).

    Abstract
    The second page should begin with the title of the paper followed by a one-paragraph abstract of not more than 150 words and 3-5 key words. The abstract should include, in brief, the objectives of the research (i.e. knowledge gap being addressed), methods adopted, major findings, and conclusions.

    Text
    The text of the paper should begin on page 3. All body paragraphs should begin with a paragraph indent, and be fully justified. Wherever possible, authors should arrange the manuscripts in well-defined sections as appropriate for their work, such as introduction/background of the study, review of past studies/literature, context and methods of the study (when applicable), results and interpretations, and discussion and conclusion.

    References and Appendices, on separate pages, should be arranged at the end of the manuscript. Page numbers should continue through all pages of the manuscript, including References and Appendices.

    The word limit of a manuscript is 5000-10000 words (including Abstract, Keywords, Notes, References, Tables and Figures). 

    Headings
    CBJ allows authors to use three levels of headings. First-level headings should be flushed left, in bold type 12-point Times New Roman font; first letter of main words should be in upper case. Second-level headings should be flushed left in bold, italics 11-point Time New Roman font; first letter of main words should be in upper case. Third-level headings are paragraph headings, which should be indented and in italicized 11-point Times New Roman font; first letter of the heading should be in upper case.

    Tables
    Tables should be numbered consecutively using Arabic numbering (Table 1, Table 2, etc.) and must have corresponding references in the main text. Tables should also have appropriate and concise headings. Tables should contain only horizontal lines and each should be placed immediately after the paragraph in the text containing the first reference to it. Tables of figures should be created in the paper and computer output (e.g. SPSS output) should not be copy-pasted. Any tables not based on the authors’ original data should have source notes with corresponding references appearing in the reference list.

    Figures and illustrations
    All figures and illustrations, as in the case of tables, should be numbered consecutively as ‘Figures’ (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.) with corresponding references in the main text. Figures should also have appropriate and concise headings. Graphs should be presented as camera-ready, using black ink only. Each figure should be placed immediately after the paragraph in the text containing the first reference to it. Any figures not based on the authors’ original data should have source notes with corresponding references appearing in the reference list.

    Conflict of Interest
    All submissions should include a statement declaring any personal relationships that could cause a potential conflict of interest. Any funding sources should be properly acknowledged, and should include a statement whether such funding could lead to potential conflict of interest. This statement should be presented at the end of the main text prior to the list of references. Where there is no conflict of interest, this should be stated.

    Acknowledgement
    If authors wish to acknowledge financial support or any other assistance, a note can be added below the statement on conflict of interest prior to references.

    References
    CBJ uses American Psychological Association (APA) style guide (Edition 7) for both in-text citations and reference list. All references should include the DOI numbers where they are available. The reference list should be presented at the end of the manuscript and the entries should be double spaced.

    Appendices
    Any appendices should presented after the list of references. They should be numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals (e.g. Appendix 1, Appendix 2, etc.). All appendices should be referred to in appropriate places in the main text.

    Manuscript checklist 

    1. Title page

    • Title of paper
    • Contact details of all authors
    • One author designated as the corresponding author
    • The ORCID number of the corresponding author

     2. Abstract

    • Title of paper
    • Abstract limited to 150 words
    • Keywords (3-5) noted below the abstract

    3. Main text

    • Identified with correct levels of headings and sub-headings
    • Set with correct flow of presentation

    4. Tables and Figures

    • Serial numbered (separately as Table 1, Table 2 and Figure 1, Figure 2) and identified with captions
    • With source notes where applicable and footnoted as required
    • All tables/figures referred to by number in the text
    • Placed immediately after the paragraph in the text containing the first reference to the table or figure
    5. Conflict of interest statement
    • Funding sources
    • Declaration of any conflict of interest (due to funding sources or any other personal relations)
    • Statement declaring there is no conflict of interest if there is none

    5. References

    • In the correct format (APA style)
    • Checked with the in-text citations
    • DOIs of all references where they are available

    6. Appendices

    • Numbered and provided after the list of references

    7. Whole submission

    • Spell-checked
    • Grammar-checked
    • Permissions are obtained appropriately

    CBJ will publish papers written only in English. Authors are advised to make sure that their manuscripts are in standard written English.

    Author Ethics

    Ethical conduct of research

    • Submissions should be based on original work conducted by the authors
    • Research should be conducted according to the general standards of practice, which include obtaining consent from participants, providing proper protection for participants (especially vulnerable participants such as children), whether they are individuals or organizations. Anonymity of organizations and individuals should be preserved, unless proper consent has been gained prior to submission. Further, any work including defamatory or intentionally false information will be rejected.
    • Authors should obtain the necessary permission from the copyright holder(s) to reproduce in the work, any materials including tables, any form of figures, etc. not owned by the authors.
    • Submissions should not contain any ideas or material that promote social discrimination (e.g. gender, race, religion), disharmony and violence

    Plagiarism
    Plagiarism is the presentation of another’s academic work without acknowledging appropriately. Whether one presents another’s academic work as one’s own intentionally or unintentionally, it is taken as academic misconduct. Not only direct quotation but also paraphrasing should be acknowledge appropriately i.e. in text citation and reference list.

    All submissions are screened for plagiarism using a formal plagiarism checking software (Turnitin). The authors are provided with a similarity report generated by this software. Any paper submitted to the CBJ with plagiarized material will be rejected.

    Self-plagiarism (Concurrent publication)
    Self-plagiarism refers to submitting a paper that has been submitted, accepted for publication, or previously published elsewhere. However, presentation of a paper at an academic conference or professional meeting will not disqualify it from consideration.

    Authorship
    List of authors should include all and only those who have made a significant contribution to the work presented in the papers. The authors’ names should be listed in order of the contribution they have made.

    Data access
    Authors should be prepared to provide the relevant raw data on request if the need arises during the review process.

    Conflict of interest
    All submissions should include a statement declaring any personal relationships that could cause a potential conflict of interest.  Any funding sources should be properly acknowledged, and should include a statement whether such funding could lead to potential conflict of interest

    Disclosure of errors in published work
    If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in his/her own published work, it should be promptly informed to the Managing Editor. A correction notice will then be linked to the article.

    Editorial Policy 

    Any manuscript that does not conform to these instructions will be returned for required improvements. Manuscripts are considered with the understanding that their contents have not been published, nor are under consideration for publication elsewhere. However, presentation of a paper at an academic conference or professional meeting will not disqualify it from consideration, provided that the said conference/meeting does not own copyrights of the paper. 

    Submission Contributors may submit their manuscripts to the Managing Editor via email or online via the journal website: cbjournal@fmf.cmb.ac.lk Web: http://mgmt.cmb.ac.lk/cbj/

    Corrections and retractions
    If there is a suspicion of any major errors in the research procedures or fraudulent activity, the CBJ will conduct an investigation based on COPE guidelines. If this results in valid concerns, authors of the relevant submission will be contacted and given the opportunity to address the issue.
    If the authors’ explanations are acceptable and the paper is still in the review/revision process, the authors will be requested to revise the paper as appropriate. If the paper has already been published, a correction notice will be linked to the article.
    If the authors’ explanations are not fully acceptable, that may result in the following measures:
    If the submission is still within the review/revision process, it may be rejected and returned to the authors.
    If the submission has already been published, one of the following actions may be taken,
    depending on the severity of the misdemeanor:
    • An editorial expression of concern may be linked to the article.
    • In the most severe situations, the article may be retracted. The following or similar infractions will be considered as severe:

    • Data fabrication
    • Data recycling
    • Severe plagiarism
    • Double publication
    • Copyright infringement
    • Unethical research practices

    All the above will be implemented for publications in all online platforms where the CBJ is made available. For the print version, a correction notice/ editorial expression of concern/ retraction will be included in the next available print issue.

    Information for Book Reviewers

    Colombo Business Journal (CBJ) publishes reviews of recent books that contribute to Business and Management or related fields. The scholars who review for CBJ should follow the guidelines given below.

    Format 
    The submission should include three sections namely, (1) description of the book, (2) review, and (3) information of the reviewer. All three sections should begin on a new page and appear in a single document. The contents of the three sections should be as follows.

    Description of the book
    The description of the book reviewed should be given in the following order.

    • Author(s) / editor(s)’ last name and initials (indicate whether it is an edited book)
    • Year of publication
    • Title of the book
    • Place of publication
    • Publisher
    • Number of pages
    • ISBN

    Review
    The full review of the book should cover the areas: introduction, content, evaluation, conclusion, and references as described below.

    • Introduction

    Intended readership and benefits
    Please state about the beneficiaries of this book with an account of the broader field of study in which it stands. Also, any special provision for readers in this book (e.g., illustrations, practical examples, anecdotes etc.), the gravity of the write-up (whether an in-depth exploration, meant for easy reading etc.), and the timely importance of the book should be highlighted.

    Context
    Please state the context in which the book is written. (E.g., in the context of contemporary organizational/inter-organizational/social setting, fast moving globalization, developing Asian economies etc.).

    • Content

    Please provide an abstract of major themes of the text, and follow this for all the chapters (may be through introduction to conclusion), and make sure not to summarize the contents. Highlight the special arguments, models, or examples appeared in the text. Brief the implications given for research, theoretical developments, policy making, and practices.

    • Evaluation

    Appraisal of views presented
    Please present a summary of the most important views became known in the book. State to which extent these views are valid, novel, innovative, thought provoking, or directive in the given context. Briefly mention where these views are positioned in the current knowledge. State any other special observations made.

    Comparison
    Please provide a brief account of comparable texts. Elaborate the distinguishable features of the book when compared to them, and state the extent to which the book has been able to fill the gap in the existing knowledge.

    Material
    Please comment on the production of material   (e.g., form, weight, quality of printing, quality of graphics etc.), and the typos and errors in the text. Proceed to comment on the adequacy of the content, explanations, elaborations, index, bibliography etc.

    • Conclusion

    Present the concluding remarks on the strengths and weaknesses of the book. State the extent to which the objectives / aims of the book has been achieved. Give your overall assessment of the book.

    • Author(s)/editors’ biography

    Please provide a brief biography of the author at the beginning of the review, including his/her (their) academic credentials, affiliation, intellectual history, affiliation with the subject, other major work related, and the intention (motivation) of writing /editing this book.

    • References

    Please follow the American Psychological Association (APA) style guide (http://www.apastyle.org/) in listing references.

    Information of the reviewer
    There should include the following information of the reviewer.

    • Last name with initials
    • Institutional affiliation
    • A brief biographical note

    Style and Length
    Please use 12-point Times New Roman font and A4 page setting. Place page numbers in the lower center, and leave top and left margins 1½ inches and bottom and right margins 1 inch. Book review should be double-spaced and printed on one side of the paper only.

    The number of words of the book review should be about 1200 – 1500, including all the sections mentioned above.

    The submission is subject to the evaluation by the Editorial Board, and the Editorial Board will make the final decision on acceptance, asking for revisions, or rejection. If the book review is accepted, and published in the CBJ, the reviewer will receive a copy of the volume containing the book review, and a copy of the book review will be sent to the publisher of the book. Any book review that does not conform to the above guidelines may be returned without being considered for evaluation. Book reviews are dealt with the understanding that they have not been published and are not under consideration for publication.

    Submission Preparation Checklist

    As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.

    1. The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration. However, presentation of a paper at an academic conference or professional meeting will not disqualify it from consideration.

    2. Any third-party-owned materials used have been identified with appropriate credit lines, and permission obtained from the copyright holder for all formats of the journal.

    3. All authors qualify as authors, as per the author guidelines, and have given permission to be listed on the submitted paper.
    4. The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines, above. Every effort has been made to ensure that author names are removed from the manuscript (following the instructions to ensure blind peer review).

    Copyright Notice

    The copyright of all work published in the CBJ remains with the author(s).

    Authors are required to grant a license to the publisher, the Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Colombo to publish the work in the Colombo Business Journal in all forms of media, whether already known or hereafter modified.

    As copyright owners, author(s) have the right to publish the work in all forms of media, whether already known or hereafter modified, with the acknowledgement that the work was first published in the Colombo Business Journal.

    Creative Commons Licence
    The Colombo Business Journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License  which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 

    Privacy Statement

    The names and email addresses entered in this journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party. The full privacy policy can be viewed here.

    • E-ISSN: 2579-2210
    • Published by Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Colombo
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